Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on Wednesday that the U.S. Mint will produce a new one-dollar coin featuring the portrait of President Donald Trump. The coin is being issued to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States. The reverse side of the coin will feature the presidential seal with the number \"250\" inscribed on the shield.
The Treasury Department stated that the coins are made of non-precious metals with a gold-colored finish. They are scheduled for release in rolls and bags this coming fall. According to the U.S. Mint’s Office of Design Management, legal researchers within the Mint and the Treasury Department have reviewed the design and determined that it complies with existing federal statutes.
Legal observers noted that while an 1866 law prohibits living persons from appearing on paper currency, and a 2007 law restricted living presidents from the Presidential $1 Coin Program, the current project relies on a 2020 bipartisan law. That legislation authorized the Treasury to issue coins emblematic of the semiquincentennial in 2026, prohibiting living subjects only from the reverse side of the coin.
Treasury officials confirmed the final design does not include a previously considered concept that featured the president's likeness on both sides. The department indicated that the new currency is intended to celebrate American values during the national anniversary.