Coin Shaving Once Punishable by Death

During the 18th century, "coining" was a widespread crime in which people shaved or clipped off small amounts of precious metal from coins before passing them back into circulation. Over time, these shavings could be collected and melted into valuable ingots. Because the practice undermined currency integrity, some countries imposed the death penalty for coining, making it one of the harshest punishments for economic crimes in that era.

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