The act or process of counterfeiting; the unlawful making of fake copies of money, documents, or goods to deceive people.
From counter- + feisance (from Old French faire, meaning 'to do' or 'to make'). An archaic legal term for the crime of counterfeiting.
Historically, counterfeisance was so serious a crime that many countries imposed death penalties—including castration in some cases—because fake money threatened the entire economy and people's ability to trust transactions.
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