Slug (coin)

Slug (coin)

A slug is a counterfeit coin that is used to make illegal purchases from a coin-operated device, such as a vending machine, pay phone, parking meter, transit farebox, copy machine, coin laundry, gaming machine, or arcade game [http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:S53K7I12amcJ:www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title35/ar43/ch5.pdf+slug+coin+prosecution&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=10&gl=us&ie=UTF-8] . By resembling various features of a genuine coin, including the weight, size, and shape, a slug is designed to trick the machine into accepting it like a real coin.

Though slug usage is a violation of the law [ [http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=1893&ChapAct=720%26nbsp%3BILCS%26nbsp%3B235%2F&ChapterID=53&ChapterName=CRIMINAL+OFFENSES&ActName=Coin+Slug+Act. 720 ILCS 235/ Coin Slug Act ] ] (with the exact offense varying by country, usually considered to be counterfeiting and/or theft of services), prosecution for slug usage is rare due to the low value of the theft and the difficulty in identifying the offender. Offenders in casinos are most likely to be prosecuted as casinos have high levels of video surveillance and other security measures, and are more proactive in enforcement.

Losses caused to vendors by slug usage may be the result of the loss of sales, the absence of revenue following the distribution of merchandise that was obtained at the vendor's expense, or the loss of cash that is distributed by the machine for overpayment with slugs. Honest customers may also suffer losses when the merchant's losses are passed onto the customers, or when change returned to an honest customer for overpayment is in the form of a slug rather than a genuine coin.

Etymology

The term "slug" refers to a lump of metal that is used as a substitute for something genuine [ [http://www.yourdictionary.com/slug slug - Definition at the #1 Online Dictionary ] ] .

Composition comparison

Slugs are usually made from metals differing from those of real coins. While genuine coins in the United States are made from various alloys of copper, nickel, and zinc, Canadian coins are made mostly from steel with some copper and nickel, and European coins are made from steel, nickel, and brass, slugs are frequently made from differing metals and alloys that are cheaper to obtain and mold, such as aluminum, tin, and lead.

Slugs may or may not have the face details of real coins. Some slugs that are made to match the face details may not be immediately recognizable as such to handlers, and may enter circulation.

Older, cheaper, and other low-tech machines that have fewer security measures are more likely to be defrauded by slug users. As an example, the full-mechanical machines still used today in candy machines can be fooled by a cardboard coin. Many newer machines, especially those found in casinos, have additional detection that can identify more details of coins and detect those that do not resemble real coins.

References


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