[nopardons]

I'm not sure about the date, but I do remember that there was a law passed that forbade making jewelry out of our coins,IF a hole/s were pit in them, and that there was also a law against placing coins on railroad tracks/trolley tracks, to flatten out coins. These laws have been rescinded, but I'm not aware of it.

Perhaps the law about smelting was passed after the silver boom of the '70s. I remember hearing that a law was passed against doing so, but not when.

[Enterprise1788]

A law was passed around 1909 that legalized any alterations to American coins (including drilling holes, making jewelry, flattening on railroad tracks, etc.) as long as the alterations are not made in an attempt to deceive.