Coins

Was 80% of all U.S. dollars in existence created within the "last two months" as of April 16, 2022? No, that's not true: The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP), the agency within the Department of Treasury responsible for producing U.S. currency notes, told Lead Stories that the claim is false. Additionally, other "evidence" discussed in the claim is based…

Is the U.S. government's Medicare program providing "flex cards" to qualified seniors that allow them to spend up to $2,800 a year? No, that's not true: Flex cards -- attached to a flexible spending account with money put aside for specific expenses such as medical costs -- are not a part of the Medicare program. Many advertisements promoting these flex…

Does microwaving a penny for one minute cause it to shrink into a mini coin? No, that's not true: Metals expand when heated -- not shrink. Also, microwaving any metallic item, such as a coin, is dangerous as it can cause sparks and, ultimately, a fire. The claim appeared in a July 29, 2021, Facebook post (archived here). Above the…

Did Chinese authorities seize more than 7,200 human penises on a cargo ship from Nigeria? No, that's not true: This story originated on March 19, 2021 on the satire website World News Daily Report. The website makes it clear it is not to be taken seriously with the motto "Where facts don't matter." The photo used to illustrate the made-up…

Did archaeologists find a one million year-old artificial underground complex? No, that's not true: the archaeological site in question consists of approximately 3,500 well-studied underground chambers across various complexes, which extend across what is now central Israel. The claim offers no peer-reviewed scholarship in support of the idea of a million-year-old stucture and leading archaeological institutions say the man-made caves…

Does this collection of photos show the inner workings of airplanes that spray "chemtrails" and has this information been "declassified"? No, that's not true: These photos do not show "chemtrail spraying equipment." The photos are either misidentified, are a joke, or are intentionally unidentified, but they have been presented in a false context allowing imaginations to run wild. There is…

Does the recent legislation that funds aid to Americans economically hard-hit by the coronavirus pandemic also provide tax dollars for "gender studies" in Pakistan? No, that's not true: Though they were voted on as one package, the COVID relief measures were part of a separate bill that was then bundled together with others to streamline end-of-the-year votes in Congress. The…

Are business owners who refuse to accept cash -- "legal tender for all debts public and private," as it says on U.S. currency -- violating federal law? No, there is no such law, but states can, and have, made their own legislation requiring businsses to accept cash. And, can a customer who has offered a cash payment that was refused…

Does U.S. Treasury law make it unlawful for American businesses to refuse to take "legal tender" cash as payment for goods and services? No, that's not true: The Federal Reserve, which oversees the U.S. money supply, made it clear on its website that private businesses are free to follow their own policy about if to accept cash or demand payment…

Is the coin shortage in the United States a conspiracy to create a cashless society as part of a "NWO" (New World Order)? No, it is not. There is a simple explanation for the low number of coins currently in circulation, and it is linked to COVID-19. Fewer people have been using coins in fewer businesses during shutdowns, and coin…