Trump’s Image Could Be Featured on Commemorative $1 Coin

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump is on track to have his image featured on both sides of a commemorative $1 coin, set for release by the United States Mint in 2026. This coin is intended to honor the nation’s 250th anniversary.

The White House confirmed on October 3 that it is seeking to depict Trump’s visage on the front and back of the coin. U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach shared the designs on social media, which show Trump’s profile on one side and an illustration of him raising his fist after a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on the other, surrounded by the phrase ‘Fight Fight Fight.’

Though it is unusual for U.S. currency to include living individuals, it has happened in the past. Kevin Hassett, chair of the White House National Economic Council, noted this on CNN’s ‘State of the Union’ on October 5.

The relevant legislation for the 250th anniversary coin, signed by Trump in January 2021, allows for unique coin designs. While the law restricts including portraits of living individuals on certain coins, the specifics of the law may not apply to the proposed Trump coin.

Lawmakers have previously enacted regulations preventing living presidents from appearing on U.S. coinage, but the current proposed coin appears to fall into a different category under the 2020 Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act.

Despite potential legal hurdles, numismatic experts indicate that there are precedents for living figures on currency. For example, some coins, like the 1926 commemorative for the nation’s sesquicentennial, have included images of living individuals.

Within the legal framework, it remains uncertain who might challenge this proposed design or whether anyone would be deemed harmed if the coin were minted. Gabriel Mathy, an economics professor at American University, expressed skepticism about the feasibility of a legal block.

As discussions around the coin proceed, a spokesperson for the U.S. Treasury stated that final designs are yet to be confirmed, but they look forward to sharing updates once the legislative landscape is clearer.