Topic: Family fights government over rare ‘Double Eagle’ gold coins

[Libertas]

Government still confiscating gold, 80 years later.  No statute of limitations of confiscatory power, eh?  With this kind of precedent any worries over another big grab by the Fed's?  I'll bet they'd grab physical reserves wherever they can get it should crap hit the fan hard enough!  If confronted with a similar situation never ever bring the Fed's into it!

 

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/family-fights-government-over-rare-double-eagle-gold-151853030.html

[rickl]

If the government tries to confiscate my gold and silver, that will be the red line for me.  They better come in shooting, because I will be.  At that point they are nothing more than lawless pirates, and I owe no allegiance to them whatsoever.  I won't give a rat's ass what uniforms or badges they will be wearing.

[charlesoakwood]

The fools.

I think there is a thing called "private treaty", if I'm not mistaken.

[Libertas]

FDR by executive order No. 6102 on April 5, 1933 invoked the anti-hoarding section of the unrelated Trading with the Enemy Act (Wilson 1917) made ownership of gold illegal due to the “economic emergency” (Great Depression).  This executive order was reversed in 1975 (Ford).  Under what authority the government feels it can confiscate this gold does not appear to exist.  But the precedent to seize it has been established, an executive order reinvoking the TWEA "economic emergency" clause.  But I am with Rickl, they better come prepared if they come for mine!  But if the crap hits the fan hard enough, they may not have the resources for such an invasive act, they might concentrate on the big commercial and private reserves and only chase after the little guy if he sticks his neck out.  But stealing is stealing and it should be resisted.  We are commanded by our DOI to resist all tyranny, no matter where it comes from!

[AlanS]

If the government tries to confiscate my gold and silver, that will be the red line for me.  They better come in shooting, because I will be.  At that point they are nothing more than lawless pirates, and I owe no allegiance to them whatsoever.  I won't give a rat's ass what uniforms or badges they will be wearing.

I'm confident their are others with the same sentiment.

[ToddF]

Here's the Readers' digest version

The government made some 1933 $20 gold pieces.   Thanks to FDR, they were never issued, then melted.  This family got their mitts on some, anyway, so yes, stolen, or illegally obtained.

BUT

There's a long history of rarities being illegally made, think the 1913 Liberty Head nickel to name one.  What makes this case unique is that the government is actually going after these.

Interesting test case, with what will probably be implications for other illegally made/sold stuff.

[Thresherman]

Before we go about advocating insurrection, a closer exam of the story shows that there may be merit to the Feds actions.

The government has long believed that Switt schemed with a corrupt cashier at the Mint to swipe the coins. They note that the deposit box in which the coins were found was rented six years after Switt's death, and that the family never paid inheritance tax on the coins.

A lawyer for the Langbords counters that the coins could have left the Mint legally since it was permissible to swap gold coins for gold bullion.

Authorities in the Roosevelt era twice looked into Switt's coin dealings, including his possession of Double Eagle coins. In 1944, Switt's license to deal scrap gold was revoked.

The coins were recently "found" in a safe deposit box rented six years after Switt died?  That sounds a little fishy to me.  Further if it is true that Switt actually stole the coins as the government alleges then they are the property of the US Government.  If, as the Langbords Attorney alleges, that the coins were the result of a swap for bullion, then a record of that transaction should exist.

Rather than an act of an overreaching government, this appears to be a legitimate case of disputed ownership.

[ToddF]

As Thresherman stated, the NEW, yes NEW story about the coins being "found" is complete BS for a gullible reporter.  This case has been out there for several years.  The reason the family decided to make these coins public, is to cash in.  They thought they could cash in, due to governemnt making a special deal to actually legalize a different stolen 1933 $20 gold piece, in exchange for half the selling price.

That's the opening this family saw.  The fact that they've had to resort to making up a whole new story saying, "SHAZAAM, lookie what just fell out of our safe depost box!" tells me they now feel their case is weak.

[Libertas]

Jury sides with government.

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Heirs-Lose-Fight-With-Government-to-Keep-Dads-Rare-1933-Gold-Coins-125908579.html

They could've kept them if they could have agreed to keep their mouths shut.  Stupid always has a price...