“Trump Dollar”: US Treasury Issues Coin Bearing the President’s Image

The United States has issued a one-dollar coin bearing Donald Trump’s image, giving the president a place on currency despite a federal law that bars living presidents from appearing on American money.

The Treasury released the coins on Wednesday as part of preparations for the 250th anniversary of the United States and an effort led by Trump to leave his mark on national institutions. The coin shows Trump alongside the words “Liberty” and “In God We Trust,” with the dates 1776-2026. Its reverse carries a version of the presidential seal, showing an eagle holding arrows and an olive branch, with a shield marked “250.”

The US Mint later clarified that the coins would circulate and carry monetary value, rather than serving only as commemorative items. That decision creates a legal conflict because federal law prohibits the image of a living US president from appearing on US currency.

The coins are being sold at prices well above their face value. A strip containing 25 one-dollar coins was offered for $61, a 144% premium, while a bag of 100 coins was listed at $154,050. The Treasury’s initial announcement had not made clear whether the coins would function as money or remain commemorative pieces.

The issue follows other moves associated with Trump’s second term, including putting his name on the Kennedy Center for the Arts and demolishing the White House’s East Wing to make way for a new ballroom. In May, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the department was studying a $250 note featuring Trump, but acknowledged that Congress would need to amend the law. In March, the department also said US banknotes would soon carry Trump’s signature, another first for a sitting president.