[JustinD]

Originally Posted by CTDean

+1 - No fraud with this coin and the code itself is outdated.

When the code speaks of diminishes, scales, or lightens that relates to the shaving gold or silver off of a coin. This was a problem in the 1800's and into the 1900's. No problem with that now.
The terms fraudulently alters and falsifies would cover things like taking an 1883 V Nickel with no CENTS and giving it a gold wash and then passing it for a $5 gold piece. This was a first year coin so people were easily fooled. They quickly added the word CENTS to the coin.

The line ends with "or any foreign coins which are by law made current or are in actual use or circulation as money within the United States; In 1857 the United States passed a law that no longer allowed foreign gold and silver coins to circulate as currency in the United States. Another law allowed the mintage of the 1857 Flying Eagle Cent which was used to buy up foreign gold and silver coins no longer allowed to circulate.

The missing T on the reverse. The missing T and the problem with the S looks like a "filled die" mint error to me. The die doesn't always fill evenly, and you get marks where an element is missing. If you check eBay there is an 1865 2 cent piece missing the T and S.

I like the engraved 2 cent piece a lot. it looks like 1800's work but would be quite hard to prove. If it was pure fantasy, I think an 1860's date would be added.

I agree and this is now become one of those weird rabbit holes that people focus on a singular part of a statement. While technically a defaced and multilated item, hobo coins have long been considered legal as they are created to be artistic and not to commit fraud. No one is saying the coin is illegal, I was only adding it as a possible reasoning in the mind of the artist to alter the obverse. I am sorry if that was worded in a way that was somehow accusatory. I don’t think agents of the Treasury are going to knock on anyone’s door over this, I’m not a loon.