Making, mending or having possession of any coining tools a felony

Every person who, without lawful authority or excuse (the proof whereof shall lie on the party accused)– (a) knowingly makes or mends, or begins or proceeds to make or mend, or buys or sells, or has in his custody or possession, any puncheon, counter puncheon, matrix, stamp, die, pattern or mould, in or upon which there is made or impressed, or which will make or impress, or which shall be adapted and intended to make or impress, the figure, stamp or apparent resemblance of both or either of the sides of any current coin or any part or parts of both or either of the sides of any current coin or any part or parts of both or either of such sides; (b) makes or mends or begins or proceeds to make or mend, or buys or sells or has in his custody or possession, any edger, edging or other tool, collar, instrument or engine adapted and intended for the marking of current coin round the edges with letters, graining or other marks or figures apparently resembling those on the edges of any such coin as in this section aforesaid, knowing the same to be so adapted and intended as aforesaid; or (c) makes or mends or begins or proceeds to make or mend, or buys or sells or has in his custody or possession, any press for coinage, or any cutting engine for cutting by force of a screw or of any other contrivance, round blanks out of gold, silver or other metal, or mixture of metals, or any other machine, knowing such press for coinage or knowing such engine or 131 machine to have been used or to be intended to be used for or in order to the false making or counterfeiting of any current coin, shall be guilty of felony, and being convicted thereof shall be liable to imprisonment for any term not exceeding five years.