A coin as speech is fine and I agree it is appropriate. This guy, however, IS a huckster. He tries to ride a fine line by claiming the coins as “currency” while simultaneously denying that they are currency. If you want gold coins, then buy coins like the Maple Leaf, American Eagle, etc. and not stuff from a charlatan who plays on people’s sentiment. You mentioned the Franlin Mint. The Franklin Mint has permission from countries to make those commemorative coins.
Also, I have no problem with barter. I do have a problem with someone who is duping people with a scam.
I suppose that you think the government should arrest everyone who sells a product that is exactly what it says it is, if the profit margin is too high, because they’re playing on the emotions of the buyer.
Selling Maple Leafs is o.k., because they only have commodity value. But, selling coins with a depction of the Twin Towers, or of Princess Diana, or of Elvis, that would be suspect because potential buyers might be attributing emotional value to them.
What scam? They guy is selling coins, and people are trading them for products and services. The truth is that the Federal Government is claiming an exclusive right to scam people with their worthless paper dollars, and doesn’t want that scam exposed by allowing people the right to use sound currency.
Either it is or it isn't.
If so, no foul, if not, fraud. Just that simple.
If there is no metal to back the paper, and they have failed to redeem even one (promissory) note (which is what the Federal Reserve Note started out as--"This note is legal tender for all debts public and private and is redeemable in lawful money at the U.S. Treasury or any Federal Reserve Bank" used to be on the notes) then they may well be in trouble.
If they are good to their word, and have not failed to redeem the notes for silver or gold, and are not in fact defrauding anyone, where is the crime?