Tell that to the people that were stupid enough to send their 10 1933 St Gaudens to the treasury for “verification”...
One court ruled in 2009 the U.S. Government illegally seized those particular coins. The later jury trial court decision found the coins remained U.S. Government property because they had never been issued and monetized. The plaintiffs said they would appeal the decision in part because the statute of limitations had expired. The latest news seems to indicate the case remains incomplete awaiting a possible appeal regarding the statute of limitations.
A previous St. Gaudens coin was monetized after a settlement because of the statute of limitatoins in part. The coin dealer was not prosecuted because the statute of limitations had expired before the suspect could be prosecuted.
So, the statute of limitatoins is yet another area in which the Federal Government is encroaching upon the just rule of law.