Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday unveiled the design of a new $1 coin bearing President Trump’s face, calling it a tribute to the nation’s 250th anniversary and saying the US Mint will begin striking the piece.
“As America commemorates 250 years of independence, the @usmint will begin striking this new $1 gold coin to honor the enduring legacy of liberty and a lasting symbol of patriotism,” Bessent wrote in an X post with images of the coin.
“Featuring President Trump, it celebrates the strength of American values, and the promise of a nation dedicated to preserving freedom for all.”
The coin’s front side features a portrait of Trump with the inscriptions “LIBERTY,” “IN GOD WE TRUST” and the dates “1776–2026.”
The reverse depicts the Great Seal of the United States with “250” on the shield and the denomination “ONE DOLLAR.”
According to Treasury, the coin is being issued under the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, which authorizes the department’s secretary to issue $1 coins with designs emblematic of this year’s semiquincentennial.
A Treasury spokesperson said legal research conducted by both the US Mint and the Treasury Department concluded the design complies with federal law — which typically bars putting living people’s likeness on coinage.
The new currency is minted in Philadelphia and “will be available for sale in rolls and bags in the fall,” the Treasury spokesperson said.
Despite appearance, the Treasury said the coin does not actually contain gold.
The spokesperson described it as a non-precious-metal coin with a gold-like finish.
Treasury also pointed to historical precedent, noting that President Calvin Coolidge appeared on the 1926 sesquicentennial commemorative half dollar while still in office.
The Coolidge-Washington commemorative coin, authorized by Congress to help finance the 150th anniversary celebration of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, marked the first time the likeness of a sitting president appeared on a US coin, according to Treasury.