Are Americans coining their own currency? Well, looks to me, like they are attempting to do exactly that.

What next, the plague?


"We never refer to the American Liberty as a coin," von NotHaus told The Spokesman-Review in 1999. "The word 'coin' is a government-controlled term. This is currency that is free from government control."

Since 1998 the coins have been made at Sunshine Minting, which also produces a variety of precious metal products.

"When the people own the money, they control the government," von NotHaus said. "When the government owns the money, it controls the people."

The organization reportedly was preparing to sell and distribute "Ron Paul" dollars to support the Texas congressman in his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. Paul previously ran for president as a Libertarian.