Trump’s face going on $1 coin

The US Mint has begun producing a new $1 coin bearing US President Donald Trump’s face to help celebrate America’s 250th birthday, the Treasury Department said on Wednesday.

The final design for the commemorative coin, being released in the fall, was approved earlier this year by the US Commission of Fine Arts, whose members were appointed by Trump. But the finished product unveiled on Wednesday differs from that version in a few aspects, including that it is not made of gold but rather has a gold finish.

The coin is intended “to honour the enduring legacy of liberty and a lasting symbol of patriotism”, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a post on X. “Featuring President Trump, it celebrates the strength of American values, and the promise of a nation dedicated to preserving freedom for all.”

The president on Wednesday told Fox Business Network that the move to put his face on a coin is “very unusual, but I was honoured by it”, adding that “it’s very cute they gave me a coin”.

Trump, a Republican, has a penchant for putting his name and likeness in the historical record, following his renaming of the US Institute of Peace, the Kennedy Center performing arts venue, and a new class of battleships, among other tributes. The move to put his face on the gold coin has drawn criticism in particular because federal law prohibits the depiction of a living president on US currency, though the treasury secretary has the authority to authorise the minting and issuance of coins in some circumstances.

The front of the coin features an image of Trump in a suit and tie and with a stern look on his face. Lettering on the top half of the coin’s arc spells ‘Liberty’, with the dates 1776-2026 on the bottom half of the arc. The words ‘In God We Trust’ are in the middle. The reverse side depicts the traditional image of the bald eagle in the Great Seal of the US, with ‘United States of America’ on the top half of the coin and the Latin phrase ‘E pluribus unum’, meaning ‘Out of many, one’, on the shield emblazoned on the bird’s breast.

Among the other differences from the design approved earlier this year is that Trump doesn’t have his fists resting on top of what is supposed to be a desk as he leans forward. The Treasury Department did not specify why the final product diverged from the originally approved design.

The Treasury Department announced in March that it would be putting Trump’s signature on all new US paper currency. Traditionally, US paper currency carries the signatures of the treasury secretary and the treasurer, not the president.