“Private banks notes are legal but they are heavily taxed. That’s why no one issues them anymore. Specie based currency is not legal and the Secret Service will swoop in and shut you down if you try minting anything other than numismatic (novelty) coins containing gold or silver.”
I see. But, gold and silver coin is the ONLY legal tender that any state in the US can recognize. It is right there in the Consittution! Not paper money. Or, did I miss that Amendment? Hehehe. How have the “Courts” interpreted that clause? Or has that clause ever been taken that far?
That is a limitation imposed on the states alone by the constitution. The Federal Government is free to make any kind of money legal tender.
FYI: Most states still designated Spanish pieces of eight as legal tender until the 1850's.