If produced, the coin would be the latest push by President Trump and his allies to feature his name and likeness on items of national significance.
U.S. Mint releases new coins to commemorate 250th anniversary
A new coin from the U.S. Mint has been released to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Two similar but very different coins that may feature President Donald Trump’s likeness are moving closer to reality amid swirling controversy.
One would be a huge gold collector’s item. The other would be a controversial temporary addition to the currency in circulation, aimed at celebrating the country’s 250th anniversary.
On March 19, a U.S. Treasury Department advisory committee announced the design of a 24-carat gold commemorative coin to commemorate the 250th (half-quincentenary) anniversary of the founding of the United States. It features a portrait of Trump, but opponents say it is a move that defies tradition.
Also as part of the 500th anniversary, another $1 coin featuring President Trump’s face may enter circulation.
If produced, the coin would be the latest push by President Trump and his allies to put his name and likeness on important objects and buildings, from national park tickets and banners to the renamed Trump Kennedy Center for the Arts.
Here’s what we know about the two coins and the controversy they’ve caused.
Will Trump coins be in circulation?
The 24-karat gold commemorative coin is a collector’s item and will not go into circulation. The $1 coin could be circulated as legal tender.
The design for the $1 coin was voted on by the Fine Arts Committee in January.
The coins have not yet been manufactured or released, and the $1 coin in particular has faced opposition. Opponents say there are legal issues with coins used as currency depicting living people.
What is a Trump coin?
The proposed design for the commemorative gold coin features a portrait of Trump with his fist firmly pressed against a desk, a photo taken by the White House’s chief photographer and on display at the National Portrait Gallery. The president approved the design, said Megan Sullivan, acting director of the Mint’s Office of Design Management.
“His image is very strong, very tough,” said Chamberlain Harris, a member of the Fine Arts Commission.
The words “LIBERTY” and “1776-2026” are engraved on the surface of the gold coin. The Fine Arts Committee recommended a diameter of 3 inches, the largest size the U.S. Mint could produce.
The $1 coin design features President Trump’s profile, along with the word “LIBERTY” and dates from 1776 to 2026.
What is the price of Trump gold coins?
The Treasury Department does not disclose the price of the gold commemorative coins, but other collectible coins it sells can cost thousands of dollars.
Why is the coin controversial?
The $1 Trump coin that may be produced is even more controversial than the commemorative coin. But both coins have faced backlash for breaking long-standing coin-making norms about who appears on the coins.
Several Democratic lawmakers argued in a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that President Trump’s $1 coin violates an 1886 law that requires currency and securities to display “only the likeness of a deceased individual.”
The administration said a 2020 law authorizing the creation of the 2026 Special Coin would give the U.S. Mint the ability to produce a $1 coin depicting President Trump.
During his lifetime, George Washington argued that it was “monarchical” to put your image on currency.
The only president to have been depicted on coins during his lifetime was Calvin Coolidge, who appeared on the $5 bill alongside Washington in 1926 to commemorate the nation’s 150th anniversary. This coin was unpopular and eventually most of the coins were melted down.
The Citizen Coin Advisory Committee, established in 2003 to advise the Secretary of the Treasury on coin themes and designs, specifically did not approve of the Trump coin design. This commission is separate from the Fine Arts Commission, which President Trump personally selected.
The Citizens’ Numismatic Advisory Committee refused to review the coin, saying it violated the nation’s founding principles. Donald Scarinci, chairman of the advisory committee, said the two proposals were “an abomination to the Declaration of Independence” and said it was a “huge irony” to celebrate the country’s departure from the British monarchy with presidential coins. Scarinci said these coins send a message that the sitting president is king.
The advisory committee also did not approve the design for a memorial district introduced as part of the semi-quincentenary. The commission approved a series of different designs, including images related to abolition, the civil rights movement, and women’s suffrage. They were canceled by Bessent.
