US Mint Releases $1 Trump Coin to Commemorate 250th Anniversary; are they legal Here is what the law says | Today’s news
US President Donald Trump has become the first sitting president in nearly a century to appear on a US circulation coin. On Wednesday (local time), the US Mint began selling a gold-colored $1 coin with Trump’s likeness.
The coin, which is available now, is being released in celebration of the country’s 250th anniversary, according to the US Mint’s website. Its release marks the first time since former U.S. President Calvin Coolidge appeared on a 1926 commemorative coin that featured a seated president on U.S. coins.
The gold $1 coin features Trump’s portrait on the obverse along with the words “LIBERTY”, “IN GOD WE TRUST” and “1776~2026”. The reverse features a depiction of the presidential seal, with “250” written on the shield, Al Jazeera reported. According to the US Mint, these coins “capture the spirit, pride and legacy of a nation approaching its momentous anniversary.”
However, the release of the new $1 coin has sparked controversy over the decision to feature a sitting president on US currency, breaking with long-standing tradition.
What does American law say?
The law dates back to 1866, when Congress introduced the measure after objecting to an official placing his own portrait on US currency. The law, known as the Thayer Amendment, prohibits the portrait of any living person from appearing on US bills, although the restriction does not apply to coins.
According to Al Jazeera, the measure was suggested by Spencer M Clark, then superintendent of the National Bureau of Currency, after placing his own image on the five-cent bill.
In addition, federal law states: “Only the portrait of a deceased individual can appear on United States currency and securities. However, Trump’s allies in Congress have introduced legislation that seeks to create an exception to this rule, although the proposal is currently on hold, the BBC reported.”
The current Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent, then, referring to Coolidge, emphasized that in 1926, when Washington was commemorating its 150th anniversary, another living American president was featured on the half dollar.
Is the new $1 Trump coin illegal?
The newest coins cannot be considered illegal because in 2020, during Trump’s first term, he signed a law known as the Circulation Collection Redesign Act of 2020 (CCRA), which gave the US Treasury the authority to mint $1 coins “with designs symbolizing the sesquicentennial of the United States.” The legislation also prohibited the portrait of “any person, living or dead” on the tail of these coins.
In addition, while the law prohibited the portrait of “any person, living or dead” on the reverse of the coin, Trump’s image appears to be on the obverse, suggesting that the law is likely in compliance.
The $1 coin featuring Trump is the latest addition to a list of government properties and initiatives that the Trump administration has sought to associate with the US president.
