This person was selling, from what I understand, (1) one-ounce pieces of stamped silver, and (2) what were effectively gift-certificates redeemable for one-ounce pieces of stamped silver. If anyone would choose to accept one of the certificates in exchange for something else, how is that any different from someone performing a similar exchange with a store gift card.
WHAT??? Who was stealing what from whom?
Never mind — I misread your post. The confusion was all mine. (I thought that you said “stealing” instead of “selling”.)
From what I see in the affidavit, the coinage could easily be mistaken for U.S.currency and to me it appears to have been done with that intent.
They weren’t “gift certificates,” they were “negotiable warehouse receipts” provided for under the Uniform Commercial Code, Section 7. Such warehouse receipts are very commonly used in agricultural commodities trading.