A closer look
Threatening the US dollar's monopoly is a quick way to find out just how heavily armed the Treasury Department is. In 1998, Bernard von NotHaus launched the "Liberty Dollar," a private currency backed by actual precious metals, targeting inflation-weary libertarians. It functioned well enough that the FBI eventually raided his operation, seizing tons of silver and copper. Instead of just hitting him with counterfeiting charges, the DOJ dramatically accused him of "domestic terrorism" for daring to create a functioning alternative to the federal reserve note. Turns out, the state really hates competition.
