Trump $1 coin makes him first living president on US currency in a century

ByOsmond Chia Business reporter. 3 September 2026, 02: 56 BST.

Key points

• The Trump administration has additionally cited the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, from Trump's first term.
• A half-dollar that was issued to commemorate America's 150th anniversary in 1926 featured then-President Calvin Coolidge.
• In May, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent remarked his department was planning to problem a new $250 bill bearing a portrait of President Trump.
• The BBC has contacted the US Mint, the Treasury and the White House for further details.
• Donald Trump's portrait has created its way on to a US coin – the latest move by the president to put his personal stamp on American institutions.

On Wednesday, the US Mint introduced the $1 (£0.74) coin with a portrait of Trump alongside the words "Liberty" and "In God We Trust", to celebrate America's 250th anniversary.

In practice, the Mint remarked the coins. It are being marketed as a collectable, were not being put into circulation for daily apply.

For context, the law bans living presidents from appearing on US currency, but a design clause in legislation for the anniversary was applied to overcome this.

For context, the coins – priced at $61 for a roll of 25 and $154.50 for a bag of 100 – were "not currently in stock" on the mint's website within hours of going on sale but it remarked more are being produced.

In practice, the coins were additionally being sold in vending machines at the US Mint store in Washington DC.

Notably, the BBC has contacted the US Mint, the Treasury and the White House for further details.

In practice, the coin has been "created to celebrate this historic national milestone" with a "once-in-a-generation anniversary design destined to become a standout addition to modern collections", the US Mint remarked.

For context, the coins have a golden colour but do not contain any actual gold. According to the US Mint, they are 88.5% copper with the balance being created up of zinc, nickel and a manganese brass outer layer.

Although federal law states that businesses can decide whether or not to accept them, while they are not in circulation, they can be applied as legal tender to pay off debt and taxes.

At the time, Bessent highlighted that another living US president has previously appeared on the country's currency.

In practice, a half-dollar that was issued to commemorate America's 150th anniversary in 1926 featured then-President Calvin Coolidge.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has additionally cited the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, from Trump's first term.

While this statute prohibits portraits of living individuals on the reverse (tails side) of coins, it does not explicitly cover the obverse (heads side), where Trump's likeness appears on the new $1 coins.

In March, the Treasury confirmed that US paper capital would shortly bear Trump's signature – another first for a sitting US president.

Taken together, the developments around trump $1 coin makes him first living president on US currency in point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.