Draft images of a $1 coin featuring President Donald Trump may be issued by the United States Mint to celebrate America’s 250th birthday in 2026, according to the US Treasury.
US Treasurer Brandon Beach confirmed the drafts on X, stating, “No fake news here. These first drafts honoring America’s 250th Birthday and @POTUS are real. Looking forward to sharing more soon, once the obstructionist shutdown of the United States government is over.”
The first draft images depict Trump’s side profile on the front, with “Liberty” at the top, “In God We Trust” at the bottom, and the dates 1776 and 2026. The reverse shows Trump raising his fist following the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, with the words “FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT” above and an American flag behind him. It is not yet clear whether these designs will be officially minted.
The proposed coin has raised legal questions because US law prohibits featuring a sitting president or living former president on a coin. According to US code, “No coin issued under this subsection may bear the image of a living former or current President, or of any deceased former President during the 2-year period following the date of the death of that President.” Typically, a president may only appear on a coin two years after their death.
In preparation for America’s 250th anniversary, Congress passed the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act, allowing the Treasury to mint special $1 coins for the semiquincentennial. The act states the Treasury secretary may issue coins “with designs emblematic of the United States semiquincentennial” during the one-year period starting January 1, 2026. It also prohibits “head and shoulders portrait or bust of any person, living or dead, and no portrait of a living person… on the reverse of specified coins.”
The Trump side portrait appears on the coin’s front, potentially circumventing the law’s restriction on the reverse. The reverse image still features Trump, but since it is not a head-and-shoulders portrait, it may not violate the legal prohibition. A Treasury spokesperson confirmed the draft images are legitimate but emphasized that a final design has not been chosen. “While a final $1 dollar coin design has not yet been selected to commemorate the United States’ semiquincentennial, this first draft reflects well the enduring spirit of our country and democracy, even in the face of immense obstacles,” the spokesperson told CNN.
During a press briefing, White House press secretary Leavitt was asked if Trump had seen the draft images. “I’m not sure if he’s seen it, but I’m sure he’ll love it,” Leavitt replied.
Historically, the only living president to appear on a coin was Calvin Coolidge in 1926, according to The American Numismatic Association. While the Treasury confirms the draft coins are real, the legality of minting a coin with a living former president remains uncertain, leaving the final decision pending.
The $1 Trump coin draft has already generated attention and discussion among collectors, historians, and political observers, as the design combines both commemoration of the nation’s milestone anniversary and the controversial inclusion of a living president. Whether the coin will ultimately be minted remains to be seen, but the draft highlights the complexities of commemorative coin design and US law.
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