[gizmo686]

Bitcoins do not have value anymore then a paper dollar has value. People are willing to accept it as payment knowing that others will also accept it as payment. You can (and I have) set up your own bitcoin system and get as many as you want. The only difference with that one and the main network is that the main network is bigger, and has a genesis block that people recognize as identifying it as the main bitcoin network.

If everyone changed their programs to recognize my genesis block as the correct one, then all of the main bitcoins will be worthless.

[kybernetikos]

> Bitcoins do not have value anymore then a paper dollar has value.

Actually slightly less, since paper dollars always have at least their joule value.

[gizmo686]

Is their any way to use that without commiting a federal crime?

[mistercow]

Well, if you don't make the bill unfit to be reissued (or don't intend to), you're in the clear in the US. The law with coins is more lenient; as long as you aren't defacing them fraudulently, it's not illegal.