Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Crimes Act 1961

Crimes against rights of property - Coinage

266: Offences involving coinage

You could also call this:

“This law explains what happens if you make, use, or have fake money.”

In this part of the law, you’ll learn about crimes related to coins. A counterfeit coin is any coin that has been changed to look like another coin. A current coin is any coin that can be legally used in New Zealand or any other country.

You can be considered to have something in your possession if you’re holding it, if you know someone else is holding it for you, or if you’ve put it somewhere for your use or someone else’s use. A coin is considered to be made or counterfeited even if it’s not finished yet.

You could go to prison for up to 10 years if you make fake coins that look like real ones, intending for people to think they’re real. You could also get this punishment if you have tools to make fake coins and you plan to use them for that purpose.

You might go to prison for up to 7 years if you buy, sell, or receive fake coins for less than they pretend to be worth. You could also get this punishment if you bring fake coins into New Zealand or take them out of the country, knowing they’re fake.

If you try to use fake coins knowing they’re not real, or if you try to pass off something that’s not a coin as if it were, you could go to prison for up to 3 years.

Lastly, if you have fake coins and you’re planning to use them as if they were real, you could go to prison for up to 1 year.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM330484.

Topics:
Crime and justice > Criminal law
Money and consumer rights > Consumer protection
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265: Imitating authorised or customary marks, or

“It's against the law to copy or fake marks that show something has been checked for quality.”

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267: Arson, or

“Purposely or carelessly setting fire to things that aren't yours is against the law.”

Part 10 Crimes against rights of property
Coinage

266Offences involving coinage

  1. For the purposes of this section,—

    counterfeit coin includes any coin that has been altered in any manner so as to resemble any other coin

      current coin means coin of any substance lawfully current in New Zealand or in any other country.

      1. For the purposes of this section,—

      2. a thing is treated as being in the possession of any person if that person has it in his or her personal custody or possession, or if that person knowingly has it in the actual custody or possession of any other person, or in some place (whether or not that person occupies the place), for the use or benefit of himself or herself or any other person:
        1. a coin is deemed to be made or counterfeited even though the making or counterfeiting has not been finished or perfected.

          1. Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years who—

          2. makes or counterfeits any coin resembling any current coin with the intention that it be acted upon as genuine; or
            1. without lawful authority or excuse, has in his or her possession or under his or her control any thing intended to be used to make or counterfeit any coin resembling any current coin, with intent to use it for such a purpose.

              1. Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years who, without lawful authority or excuse,—

              2. buys, sells, or receives, or offers to buy, sell, or receive, any counterfeit coin resembling any current coin at or for a lower rate or value than the counterfeit coin purports to be; or
                1. imports or receives into New Zealand any counterfeit coin resembling any current coin, knowing it to be counterfeit; or
                  1. exports from New Zealand, or puts on board any ship or aircraft for the purpose of being exported, any counterfeit coin resembling any current coin, knowing it to be counterfeit.

                    1. Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years who—

                    2. passes or attempts to pass any counterfeit coin knowing it to be counterfeit; or
                      1. passes or attempts to pass as current coin any coin that is not current coin or any piece of metal or other substance, knowing that it is not current coin.

                        1. Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 1 year who has in his or her possession or under his or her control any counterfeit coin, knowing it to be counterfeit and intending to pass it as genuine.

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                        Notes
                        • Section 266: replaced, on , by section 15 of the Crimes Amendment Act 2003 (2003 No 39).