WASHINGTON
The U.S. Mint began circulating $1 coins bearing President Donald Trump's image Wednesday, marking the first time in a century that a living president has appeared on U.S. currency struck by the Mint. The move bypassed the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee, the 11-member congressional panel established to advise on coin designs.
The coins commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and are available for purchase directly from the Mint's website at $61 per roll of 25 or $154.50 per bag of 100. A limited number of 250,000 coins include special July Fourth markings struck at the Philadelphia Mint and randomly distributed within orders. The Mint imposed a household order limit of two items through 2 p.m. ET on Sept. 3.
The coins feature inscriptions reading "1776 ~ 2026," "LIBERTY" and "IN GOD WE TRUST" alongside the president's portrait. Though composed of manganese brass with a gold-colored finish rather than actual gold, the Mint confirmed the coins hold legal tender status.
Living presidents are typically barred from appearing on U.S. currency. The Trump administration justified the coins by citing the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, which permits special coins for the nation's Semiquincentennial and grants the Treasury secretary final design authority. The law restricts persons from appearing on a coin's reverse side but contains no restriction on the obverse, where Trump's likeness is featured.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent did not seek review from the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee, a move that has drawn fire from the panel's members. U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach stated in March that the Mint had fulfilled its "statutory obligation" for CCAC review, adding that Bessent holds sole discretion for final design selection.
The Treasury Department claimed it offered the committee multiple opportunities to review proposed designs, but the CCAC declined. Committee members have questioned the legality of the production due to the omission.
The last living president to appear on U.S. hard currency was Calvin Coolidge, whose image appeared silhouetted behind George Washington on a silver half-dollar struck for the U.S. Sesquicentennial in the 1920s. The Mint produced one million of the Coolidge coins, but 860,000 were returned and melted due to insufficient public demand.
