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Trump becomes a coin: Commemorative dollar featuring his portrait goes on sale
🇬🇷 Greece /Culture & Society

Trump becomes a coin: Commemorative dollar featuring his portrait goes on sale

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • A commemorative one-dollar coin featuring Donald Trump’s portrait is being sold for the 250th anniversary of the United States.
  • The coins cost $61 for a pack of 25 and $154 for a pack of 100.
  • The coin’s release has drawn criticism because the portrait of a sitting president on currency conflicts with longstanding U.S. practice, according to critics quoted in the report.

Donald Trump’s face has appeared on a commemorative one-dollar coin issued for the 250th anniversary of the United States, and the coin is now available for purchase.

As we approach the 250th anniversary, we are designing coins that symbolize the spirit of our country and our democracy.

— Brandon RichThe U.S. treasurer’s explanation of the commemorative coin program.

Buyers can order packs of 25 for $61 or packs of 100 for $154. One side shows an eagle, the symbol of the United States, while the other carries Trump’s portrait. The image closely resembles his official portrait, which was inspired by a police photograph taken during investigations in Georgia into allegations related to possible interference in the 2020 election.

The coin’s production received approval in mid-March from the Commission of Fine Arts, whose members were all appointed by Trump. U.S. Treasurer Brandon Rich said at the time that the government was designing coins to symbolize the spirit of the country and its democracy. “There is no more iconic portrait for these coins than that of President Donald Trump,” he said.

There is no more iconic portrait for these coins than that of President Donald Trump.

— Brandon RichHis justification for using Trump’s portrait.

The design faced opposition from the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee. In late February, the committee declined to consider the proposal. Member Donald Scarinci said that since the Declaration of Independence in 1776, no country had placed the image of a democratically elected leader on coins while that leader was still in office. He said only countries ruled by kings or dictators put their leaders’ images on coins.

No country in the world has minted coins bearing the image of a democratically elected leader during that leader’s term in office.

— Donald ScarinciHis criticism of the proposed design through the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.

The coin is part of a broader effort to place Trump’s name and image on U.S. currency. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in May that his department was preparing a plan for a new $250 banknote featuring Trump, though Congress would need to change the law barring living people from appearing on U.S. notes. The Treasury has not said whether the new one-dollar coin violates that law.

Only nations ruled by kings or dictators put the images of their leaders on their coins.

— Donald ScarinciHis argument against depicting a sitting president on U.S. currency.
About this summary

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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