StampStampede.org website

Is it legal?

Yes! It’s legal to stamp political messages on US currency. Many people assume that it’s illegal to stamp or write on paper currency, but that’s not the case. It’s illegal to destroy paper currency or deface it with the intention of making it no longer recognizable, to the point that it has to be taken out of circulation. But the intent of the Stampede is to make sure that these stamped dollars STAY in circulation to help spread the message and build momentum for change. You can read the complete legal statement from our lawyer here.

How does stamping bills help the movement to amend the constitution?

The Stamp Stampede is a petition on steroids. It is a way for you to raise your voice and make it heard for 2 ½ years per stamped bill. It provides a concrete way for people to take action that will have a lasting and growing impact. The average dollar bill is seen by nearly 1,000 people over the next 2 ½ years. That means If 1,000 People stamped one dollar per day for a year, our message would be seen over 300 million times. If 10,000 people stamped one dollar per day for a year our message would be seen over 3 billion times. All of this results in a constant outcry that Congress and the politicians can’t ignore. And as more and more stamped bills get into circulation the outcry gets louder and louder. And it provides inspiration and support to local and state campaigns to pass resolutions.

How do you come up with 875 impressions per bill?
The Federal Reserve estimates that the average one dollar bill lasts 4.8 years. That is 1,750 days. We figure the typical bill you will be stamping will be halfway through its life, or have 875 days left. We then assume that the typical bill is passed around once a day or 875 more times in its life.

Let’s say you stamp an average of 10 bills a day, that’s 300/month. Even if you take weekends off you’ll end the year stamping about 3000 bills and each will be seen an average of 875 times. That means you’ll get your message out 2,625,000 times!

Can I stamp any denomination?
Yes, you can stamp every bill and every denomination! Do all denominations of bills circulate at the same rate?
No, higher denomination bills circulate less frequently, but they stay in circulation for a longer period of time:
$ 1 ................. 4.8 years
$ 5 ................. 3.8 years
$ 10................ 3.6 years
$ 20 ............... 6.7 years
$ 50 ............... 9.6 years
$100 ..............17.9 years

Can we REALLY win a constitutional amendment?
Yes. In fact, we’re already more than 25% there: 16 states have passed ballot resolutions calling on Congress to propose an amendment and 150 Members of Congress have expressed support. Moreover, recent polling shows that 80% of Americans – Democrats and Republicans – support an amendment. The last time there was this much support for a constitutional amendment was in 1971 when Congress proposed and the states ratified the 26th amendment lowering the voting age to 18. It won’t be easy – it’s a marathon not a sprint – but it’s the only way we can rescue our democracy from the wealthy elite.

Who are the different organizations supporting the amendment?
There are over 140 diverse organizations working together to win a constitutional amendment, including groups like Move to Amend, Free Speech for People, People for the American Way, Public Citizen, Green Peace, the NAACP and many more. To see the full list visit UnitedForThePeople.org

What is the best place to stamp on the bill?
See Be a Better Stamper. It is best to stamp a bill on the front and the back so there's a greater chance of more people seeing it. When stamping on the front, avoid stamping over the serial numbers and the two round “seals” on the left and right (that would set off the scanners at federal reserve banks and increase the chances that the bill will be rejected by their machine and sent back to the federal reserve to be taken out of circulation. On the back of a one dollar bill, the best place to stamp is on an angle in the center over the word “one”. On the back of higher denomination bills, there’s more flexibility — just find any suitable white space. For the front of bills the best stamp is the pocket stamp because its smaller. The acrylic speech bubble stamp is also good because the words come right out of the dead presidents’ mouth (and you can see where you're placing the stamp!)

I stamped a big wad of bills and when I went to deposit them in my bank they said they would send them in to be destroyed. What do I do?
Find a friendlier bank. Some banks accept large quantities of stamped bills with no problem and keep the money in circulation. Other banks segregate the stamped cash and send them in to the Federal Reserve to be destroyed and replaced. If you slip in some stamped bills each time you make a deposit, no one will notice and it’s not a problem. Your task, as a conscientious stamper, is to determine the maximum percentage of stamped cash you can deposit at your local bank without raising too many eyebrows. That is part of the art of Stampeding.

But the best way to get stamped bills into circulation is to spend them to buy stuff (or for tip money!) -- Enough with all this plastic. Walking around with a big wad of cash is cool and retro and very impressive when out on a date.

Will vending machines accept stamped dollar bills?
Yes, stamped currency can still be processed by vending machines – as long as the bill is in suitable condition. But as is often the case with non-stamped money, sometimes machines just don't want to cooperate and will spit the bill back out. We've had people write in saying that they received a stamped bill from self-checkout machines. If you can, hand it directly to a cashier. This guarantees that it will be seen by more people once it's handed back out as change.

How do I host an event with the Stamp Mobile?
The Amend-O-Matic Stamp Mobile is happy to join nonprofit organizations, clubs, events, festivals, conventions, national and regional meeting, students, businesses and activists while traveling around the country. If you are interested in including the StampMobile, you can click here to request an event.

How can my business partner with the Stampede?
Small business owners around the country have set up stamping stations – a small section of counter space with fliers and a stamp for their customers and employees to stamp money. Participants include food co-ops, bars, coffee shops, tattoo parlors, ice cream shops, and bookstores. If you would like to set up a stamping station, email us, or click here to download the fliers and the stamping station sign.

If you send us an email, we’ll gladly feature you and your store on our website, Facebook and Twitter.

How can I get more involved?
You can set up a stamping station at your business, host stamping parties, promote the campaign on social media like Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter, share the campaign with your friends. If you would like help brainstorming ideas, email us and we’ll be happy to talk. Are you a regular at a bar, restaurant, cafe, or business in your area? Ask them to put up a Stamping Station -- they really help give the movement credibility and visibility!

What do you do with the money from stamp sales?
100% of the money from stamp sales go directly back into the Stampede operation. We invest in more inventory so that we can get stamps in your hands quicker. We also try and cover other costs related to the Stampede (like this website!) And of course, we have to pay our wonderful employees a little bit.