[Coleus]

Thanks for the post, the answers may be found here:

Title IV of the United States Code

I was once told that flags with the gold fringes around them are not true US flags representing the USA.  I'm not too sure whether it's true or not.

 

[Lokibob]

Lots of info here about the gold fringe:
http://www.apfn.org/apfn/flag.htm

Not sure how true some of it is.