Colorizing coins isn't illegal... If you don't melt it down or destroy it until it is unrecognizable (on purpose) then it's perfectly legal
Then again, the issue of colorizing coins probably falls into a legal grey area. Federal statute 18 USC 331 “whoever fraudulently alters, defaces, mutilates, impairs, diminishes, falsifies, scales, or lightens any of the coins coined at the mints of the United States … shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.” However, it should be noted the keyword, in this case fraudulent. Therefore, there must be the intent to defraud a party to be considered an illegal act. Regardless, @CoinJockey73's question was rather narrow in scope, and yes, it is technically illegal to deface coins.
That's a good point, @cpm9ball. However, with these manufactured "collectibles," it would probably be quite challenging to prove it. Regardless, I can't say I'm a fan of their marketing practices.
Neither can I! Maybe it would help if Congress passed a law that mandated a 50% reduction from face value for the sale of any colorized coin. Never happen!
I could literally take a sharpie and make the colorized quarter look better... no point in wasting $5 on a piece of junk that I could make myself
No law broken, except the Sensible Use Concerning Art law...SUCA. Ever see the $ Bills with the chain messages on them? They are everywhere. Support the SUCA law, and don't buy and become a SUCA lawbreaker. This is a serious problem, because there is a SUCA offender born every day.