Heads or tails? $1 coin with Trump’s face and gold finish goes on sale

Notably, the $1 coin designed to celebrate America's 250th birthday – and seemingly President Donald Trump, whose face gazes from one side of the gold finish – went on sale Wednesday, according to the U.S.

Key points

• But in some circumstances, the Treasury Secretary does have authority to authorize the minting and issuance of special coins.
• In past comments, the president remarked that the idea to stamp his face on a coin was "very unusual" but that he was "honored by it."
• The president's second term has brought a number of such brandings, or attempts at them, that have become tangled up in lawsuits.

What happened

In practice, the coin's design – Trump's visage as "heads" and the Great Seal of the United States as "tails" – received the stamp of approval this year from the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, whose members Trump appointed. In past comments, the president remarked that the idea to stamp his face on a coin was "very unusual" but that he was "honored by it."

In practice, the president's second term has brought a number of such brandings, or attempts at them, that have become tangled up in lawsuits. That includes moves to put Trump's name on the Kennedy Center and the U.S. As Trump works to leave his stamp on history and on Washington, D.C, institute of Peace.

Notably, the coins, which can be applied as legal tender, drew some criticism, particularly as of federal law that bars the depiction of a living president on U.S. Currency. But in some circumstances, the Treasury Secretary does have authority to authorize the minting and issuance of special coins.

The bottom line

Taken together, the developments around heads or tails? $1 coin with Trumps face and gold finish goes point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.