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A $1 coin bearing the likeness of President Donald Trump, unveiled by the US Treasury Department on Wednesday. [Reuters]
A $1 coin bearing the likeness of President Donald Trump, unveiled by the US Treasury Department on Wednesday. [Reuters]

The United States will issue a gold-colored $1 coin bearing the likeness of President Donald Trump to mark the nation's 250th anniversary. The commemorative project reflects Trump's well-known desire to leave his mark — his face, name or signature — on enduring American symbols.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent revealed the design on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday. The obverse features Trump's portrait, with the word "LIBERTY" and the year of America's founding engraved along the coin's edge. The reverse carries an image of the bald eagle, the national bird of the United States.

Bessent said the coin "honors the strength of American values and our national commitment to protecting freedom for all" by placing Trump's likeness on it.

Federal law prohibits placing the portrait of a living person on a $1 coin. However, legislation passed in 2020 during Trump's first term — governing commemorative coins for the 250th anniversary — barred any human likeness from appearing on the reverse side, regardless of whether the person is living or deceased. That restriction applies only to the reverse, effectively creating a legal gap that allows a portrait to appear on the obverse.

The Trump administration moved ahead with minting the coin on that basis. Although it carries Trump's favored gold color, the coin is made of brass, not actual gold. It is set to enter circulation this fall.

According to Politico, an early design draft featured Trump on both sides. The obverse showed his profile, while the reverse depicted Trump from the waist up with his right arm raised and the words "FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT" — an image evoking the moment during a 2024 campaign rally when Trump thrust his fist toward supporters after being struck in the ear by a bullet.

Placing a human likeness on the reverse would have violated the law. Apparently mindful of that legal risk, the final design limits Trump's portrait to the obverse only.

The United States has precedent for featuring a sitting president on commemorative coins. A 50-cent commemorative coin produced in 1926 for the nation's 150th anniversary bore the portraits of then-President Calvin Coolidge and first President George Washington side by side.

The coin's release reflects Trump's broader ambition to inscribe his presence on American landmarks and institutions. Trump added his signature to the redesigned $100 bill issued for the 250th anniversary and had his name added to the Kennedy Center, Washington's premier performing arts venue — though a court recently ruled that move unlawful, and his name was subsequently removed.


kate01@heraldcorp.com