There is no way Von NotHaus’s coins could be confused with money. Some of the coverage of this story is disgusting: 
Von NotHaus designed the Liberty Dollar currency in 1998 and the Liberty coins were marked with the dollar sign ($); the words dollar, USA, Liberty, Trust in God (instead of In God We Trust); and other features associated with legitimate U.S. coinage.
The FBI won a three-count conviction against precious-metals dealer Bernard von NotHaus on March 18 for the “crime” of minting memento “dollars” in silver, and the FBI charged in a press release that making silver coins is “domestic terrorism.” Jurors came to the unanimous verdict after only two hours of deliberation.
“Attempts to undermine the legitimate currency of this country are simply a unique form of domestic terrorism,” U.S. Attorney Anne M. Tompkins said in a March 18 FBI press release boasting of the verdict.
Making silver coins is “domestic terrorism”? Really?
“While these forms of anti-government activities do not involve violence, they are every bit as insidious and represent a clear and present danger to the economic stability of this country,” Tompkins added. “We are determined to meet these threats through infiltration, disruption, and dismantling of organizations which seek to challenge the legitimacy of our democratic form of government.” (Read more from thenewamerican.com)