Key takeaways:
- A federal commission appointed by former President Trump approved a 24-karat gold commemorative coin featuring Trump’s image to mark the U.S. 250th anniversary in 2026, with production authorized but size and denomination still undecided.
- The coin’s design includes Trump’s portrait on the obverse and a bald eagle on the reverse, approved through a process bypassing traditional restrictions against living presidents on currency, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent authorizing the design.
- The gold coin project is separate from a $1 circulated coin featuring Trump planned for 2026; despite opposition from the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee, the Treasury Secretary holds final design authority, and the Mint fulfilled review obligations.
A federal commission composed entirely of members appointed by former President Donald Trump has approved the final design for a 24-karat gold commemorative coin featuring Trump’s image. The coin is intended to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States, which will be celebrated on July 4, 2026. The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts voted without objection on Thursday to approve the design, allowing the U.S. Mint to begin production, though the coin’s size and denomination have yet to be finalized.
The coin’s obverse side displays a portrait of President Trump in a suit and tie, leaning forward with his fists resting on a desk. The word “LIBERTY” arches across the top, with the dates “1776-2026” below it. The phrase “IN GOD WE TRUST” appears at the bottom, flanked by seven stars on one side and six on the other. The reverse side features a bald eagle in midflight, with “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” on the right and “E PLURIBUS UNUM” on the left. Commissioner Chamberlain Harris, a White House aide to Trump, described the image as “very strong and a very tough image” and fitting for a sitting president presiding over the nation’s semiquincentennial.
The approval by the Commission of Fine Arts follows a process that has bypassed some traditional channels. Federal law prohibits living presidents from appearing on U.S. currency, but the Treasury Secretary has the authority to authorize the minting of new 24-karat gold coins, which has been used to circumvent this restriction. Megan Sullivan, acting chief of the Office of Design Management at the Mint, said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent authorized the coin’s design, which Trump himself approved. The coin will be produced in a limited run, with its exact quantity, size, and denomination still under discussion. The Mint is considering a coin larger than its standard 1-ounce gold coin, potentially up to three inches in diameter.
The commemorative gold coin project is separate from the plan to issue a $1 circulated coin featuring Trump’s image as part of the U.S. semiquincentennial celebrations. The latter initiative, authorized by the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, is scheduled for issuance beginning January 1, 2026. The Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC), a federal panel with a broader membership, reportedly opposed the gold coin design, but the Treasury Secretary has sole discretion over the final design selection. U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach emphasized that the Mint fulfilled its obligation to seek CCAC review despite the committee’s refusal to engage. The coin’s approval comes amid other efforts by Trump to associate his name and likeness with federal institutions and events, including renaming venues and sponsoring high-profile events tied to the 250th anniversary.
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