The United States Mint has released a $1 coin bearing the portrait of President Donald Trump, making him the first living American president to appear on US currency in more than a hundred years. The coin went on sale on Wednesday and sold out within hours, with the Mint's website showing the product as "not currently in stock" shortly after launch.
The gold-coloured coin — though it contains no actual gold, being composed of 88.5% copper with zinc, manganese and nickel — was issued to mark America's 250th anniversary, with the dates "1776–2026" inscribed below Trump's image. The word "LIBERTY" arcs above the portrait, and the reverse features the Great Seal of the United States, depicting a bald eagle clutching arrows in one claw and an olive branch in the other, with the Latin motto "E PLURIBUS UNUM" — meaning "out of many, one" — held in its beak. The design was approved by the US Commission of Fine Arts, whose members were appointed by Trump. The president previously described the idea as "very unusual" but said he was "honoured" by it.
The coins are priced at $61 for a roll of 25 and $154.50 for a bag of 100, with purchases initially capped at two orders per household. The Mint added a collectors' incentive by randomly including special coins stamped "July 4th" — struck on Independence Day — within some rolls and bags. The coins are valid as legal tender and were also sold at vending machines at the US Mint store in Washington DC.
The release has attracted some criticism, as federal law generally prohibits the depiction of a living president on US currency. However, the Treasury Secretary holds authority to authorise special commemorative coins under certain circumstances, providing the legal basis for the issue. The coin is part of a broader pattern during Trump's second term of associating his name and image with prominent institutions and landmarks, a number of which have become the subject of legal challenges.
The 250th anniversary of American independence, formally celebrated in 2026, has provided the stated occasion for the coin's creation. Whether collectors view it primarily as a patriotic keepsake or a piece of political memorabilia, demand appears strong — the Mint described it as a "once-in-a-generation anniversary design destined to become a standout addition to modern collections."