US Mint to Produce Dollar Coins Featuring Trump for 250th Anniversary

The U.S. Mint is set to begin production of dollar coins bearing the likeness of President Donald Trump, marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. The announcement was made by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

The new design features "Liberty," "In God We Trust," and "1776-2026" on the obverse, with a bald eagle from the presidential seal on the reverse. This design is a revision from a draft released in November, which had depicted Trump with a clenched fist and the words "fight, fight, fight," referencing a 2024 assassination attempt.

Trump expressed his honor at being featured on the coin, noting it as "very unusual." However, critics have raised questions about the legality of the design. A U.S. law from 1866 generally prohibits the portrait of a living person on U.S. currency, though this applies to paper money. Coins are minted by the U.S. Mint.

In 2020, Congress passed a law permitting the Treasury Secretary to issue commemorative dollar coins for the U.S. semiquincentennial. However, this law explicitly banned the depiction of a living person on the coin designs. Bessent countered by pointing out that President Calvin Coolidge was featured on a coin for the 150th anniversary, suggesting a precedent for including living individuals on coinage.