The U.S. Treasury Department has confirmed it is considering minting a commemorative $1 coin featuring President Donald Trump’s image on both sides to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary in 2026, but the proposal faces significant legal.
U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach revealed draft designs for the coin on social media Friday, showing Trump’s profile on one side with the inscription “In God We Trust” and the years “1776-2026.” The reverse side depicts Trump raising his fist in front of an American flag with the words “Fight, Fight, Fight” – a reference to his response following an assassination attempt during a July 2024 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The coin is intended to be legal tender valued at $1 and would commemorate the semiquincentennial of the Declaration of Independence.
The proposed coin faces substantial legal hurdles due to longstanding federal laws prohibiting the depiction of living individuals on U.S. currency. The primary restriction stems from the Thayer Amendment of 1866, which states that “no portrait or likeness of any living person shall be engraved or placed upon any of the bonds, securities, notes, or postal currency of the United States.”
This law originated from a controversy involving Spencer Clark, the superintendent of the National Currency Bureau, who placed his own likeness on a five-cent note in 1866 rather than honoring explorer William Clark as Congress had intended. Pennsylvania Congressman Martin Russell Thayer was particularly incensed by this action, leading him to draft legislation preventing such incidents in the future.
The restriction was designed to prevent the appearance of a monarchy in America by ensuring only deceased individuals could be featured on currency. As Thayer stated during Congressional debates, “It is derogatory to the dignity and the self-respect of the nation.”
Beyond the general prohibition on living persons, federal law contains specific restrictions for coin designs. Under 31 U.S.C. § 5112, “No coin issued under this subsection may bear the image of a living former or current President, or of any deceased former President during the 2-year period following the date of the death of that President.”
The Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, which authorizes the Treasury to mint commemorative coins for the 250th anniversary, contains additional restrictions. The law states that “No head and shoulders portrait or bust of any person, living or dead, and no portrait of a living person may be included in the design on the reverse of specified coins.”
There may be potential loopholes that might allow the Trump coin to proceed. The 2020 Act’s prohibition specifically applies to the reverse side of coins, while Trump’s profile portrait appears on the obverse (front) side. Additionally, the restriction against “head and shoulders portrait or bust” may not apply to the full-body image of Trump raising his fist on the reverse side.
The proposed Trump coin would not be entirely unprecedented if minted. Calvin Coolidge appeared on a commemorative half-dollar coin in 1926 while serving as president, making it the only time a living U.S. president has been depicted on legal tender coinage.
The 1926 Sesquicentennial coin featured portraits of both George Washington and Coolidge to commemorate the 150th anniversary of American independence. This occurred through specific Congressional authorization rather than as a violation of existing law.
Should the Treasury wish to proceed with the Trump coin, Congressional action would likely be required to provide a specific exemption, similar to the 1925 authorization that allowed Coolidge’s appearance on the Sesquicentennial coin. Such legislation would need to explicitly override existing legal restrictions.
