US Mint Sells $1 Coin Featuring Trump, First Living President in Century
FlatRigor 5819 sources
The Story
The US Mint launched a $1 coin featuring President Donald Trump's portrait on Wednesday, celebrating America's 250th anniversary. The coin, which is gold-toned, features Trump's likeness alongside "LIBERTY" and "IN GOD WE TRUST" on the obverse. The reverse displays an illustration of the Presidential Seal with "250" inscribed on the shield. The coins are not intended for circulation but may be used as legal tender. Federal law generally prohibits a living president from appearing on US currency, but a design clause in legislation for the anniversary, specifically the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, was used to permit the design. The restriction on a person appearing on the tail side of a coin does not apply to its face. The coins were priced at $61 for a roll of 25 and $154.50 for a bag of 100. They were not currently in stock on the mint's website within hours of going on sale and were also sold in vending machines at the US Mint store in Washington DC. This marks the first time since former US President Calvin Coolidge appeared on a 1926 commemorative half-dollar that a sitting president has been featured on US coinage. The coins are 88.5% copper with zinc, manganese, and nickel, giving them a golden color without actual gold. 250,000 of the coins, struck on July Fourth at the Philadelphia Mint, include a special "July 4th" marking and are randomly distributed. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had previously announced plans in May to issue a new $250 bill bearing a portrait of President Trump.
The Spread
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What they agree on
- The US Mint has released a $1 coin featuring President Donald Trump's likeness.
- The coin commemorates America's 250th anniversary.
- The coins are gold-toned but do not contain actual gold.
- The coins are available for purchase from the US Mint and can be used as legal tender.
- This marks the first time a sitting president has appeared on a US coin since Calvin Coolidge in 1926.
Where they split
- National Review frames the coin as "tacky," offering a critical perspective on its aesthetic and political implications.
- Fox Business and Forbes emphasize the mark-up charged by the Mint for the coins, highlighting their cost above face value.
- ABC News and The Economic Times detail the specific legal arguments and acts, such as the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, that permit the coin's design.
- Time and CBS News provide additional context on other proposed currency featuring Trump, such as a $250 bill.
Source Perspectives
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