Just up Interstate-77 the first trial involving counterfeit coins in more than 50 years took place earlier this month in a brick courthouse in Statesville, N.C.
Few seemed to care, however.
The Statesville Record & Landmark newspaper didn’t send anyone to cover the trial, nor did the Charlotte Observer, the Associated Press, any web news outlets, radio or television stations.
The only media on hand was the magazine Coin World. And just two spectators showed up to watch the federal trial of Bernard Von NotHaus, 67, during the first two weeks of March.
“Originally expected to last five weeks, the trial was over in just nine days,” Coin World reported. “It took the jury less than 90 minutes to find von NotHaus guilty on all counts involving counterfeiting, possessing and selling his own coins, with intent to defraud.
“Von NotHaus had maintained his Liberty Dollars are not coins and were never marketed as coins,” the publication added.
Von NotHaus could spend 15 years or more in prison and face more than $250,000 in fines.
(HT: Wrisley.com)
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