Criminal Code (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-46)

Act current to 2013-05-20 and last amended on 2013-03-27. Previous Versions

Marginal note:Defacing current coins

456. Every one who

  • (a) defaces a current coin, or

  • (b) utters a current coin that has been defaced,

is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.

  • R.S., c. C-34, s. 414.
Marginal note:Likeness of bank-notes

  • 457. (1) No person shall make, publish, print, execute, issue, distribute or circulate, including by electronic or computer-assisted means, anything in the likeness of

    • (a) a current bank-note; or

    • (b) an obligation or a security of a government or bank.

  • Marginal note:Exception

    (2) Subsection (1) does not apply to

    • (a) the Bank of Canada or its employees when they are carrying out their duties;

    • (b) the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or its members or employees when they are carrying out their duties; or

    • (c) any person acting under a contract or licence from the Bank of Canada or Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

  • Marginal note:Offence

    (3) A person who contravenes subsection (1) is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.

  • Marginal note:Defence

    (4) No person shall be convicted of an offence under subsection (3) in relation to the printed likeness of a Canadian bank-note if it is established that the length or width of the likeness is less than three-fourths or greater than one-and-one-half times the length or width, as the case may be, of the bank-note and

    • (a) the likeness is in black-and-white only; or

    • (b) the likeness of the bank-note appears on only one side of the likeness.

  • R.S., 1985, c. C-46, s. 457;
  • 1999, c. 5, s. 12.

Instruments or Materials

Marginal note:Making, having or dealing in instruments for counterfeiting

458. Every one who, without lawful justification or excuse, the proof of which lies on him,

  • (a) makes or repairs,

  • (b) begins or proceeds to make or repair,

  • (c) buys or sells, or

  • (d) has in his custody or possession,

any machine, engine, tool, instrument, material or thing that he knows has been used or that he knows is adapted and intended for use in making counterfeit money or counterfeit tokens of value is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years.

  • R.S., c. C-34, s. 416.
Marginal note:Conveying instruments for coining out of mint

459. Every one who, without lawful justification or excuse, the proof of which lies on him, knowingly conveys out of any of Her Majesty’s mints in Canada,

  • (a) any machine, engine, tool, instrument, material or thing used or employed in connection with the manufacture of coins,

  • (b) a useful part of anything mentioned in paragraph (a), or

  • (c) coin, bullion, metal or a mixture of metals,

is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years.

  • R.S., c. C-34, s. 417.