US President Donald Trump’s face has officially appeared on currency.
At 12:00 PM ET (16:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the U.S. Mint began circulating and selling a “once-in-a-generation” $1 coin featuring President Trump’s portrait to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary.
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One side of the golden coin features a portrait of President Trump and the inscriptions “LIBERTY” and “IN GOD WE TRUST.” The reverse features an illustration of the Seal of the President of the United States with “250” engraved on the shield.
The U.S. Mint says the coin “captures the spirit, pride, and heritage of a nation marking a landmark anniversary.”
It is the first time in nearly 100 years that a living person has been featured on U.S. banknotes, and has drawn intense criticism because such honors are primarily reserved for long-dead dignitaries.
How did this $1 coin come about? Here’s what you need to know.
Why is this done?
Since Trump returned to the White House last year, his administration has taken steps to place his name and likeness on a variety of buildings and objects, including the Kennedy Center, the U.S. Institute of Peace, national park passes, restricted passports and the $1 million “Gold Card” visa announced last year.
The Trump administration is linking some of these efforts to celebrations of the nation’s 500th anniversary, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
On July 15, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent first announced the coin in a social media post. Bessent said the coin “celebrates the strength of American values and the promise of a nation dedicated to protecting the freedoms of all people.”
The Trump administration has also pointed to another commemorative coin as a precedent for a Trump-branded $1 coin.
In 1926, to commemorate the nation’s 150th anniversary, the United States Mint struck a coin featuring side-by-side portraits of George Washington and then-President Calvin Coolidge.
But critics point out that the 1926 coin is a commemorative coin and was not intended to be circulated as currency.
Do you have other suggestions for Trump-themed currencies?
Bessent also said in May that preparations were underway to print a new $250 bill featuring Trump’s face.
Bessent added that the Trump administration is seeking Congressional approval of the new bill.
How much does a new coin cost?
A coin is worth $1, but consumers can buy a roll of 25 coins for $61 and a bag of 100 coins for $154.50. This is a significant price increase.
Although the coins sell for high prices, the U.S. Mint emphasizes that the coins are not just ornaments.
They are valid currency and can be used for everyday purchases just like dollar bills.
Is it legal?
U.S. federal law states that “only the likeness of a deceased individual may appear on U.S. currency and securities.”
Congress passed the law in 1866 after Treasury Department official Spencer M. Clark angered lawmakers by putting his face on a 5-cent bill.
However, during his first term, President Trump signed a bill known as the Circulating Collected Coin Redesign Act (CCRA) of 2020, which gave the Treasury Department the authority to mint a $1 coin with a “design symbolic of the United States’ 500th anniversary.”
The law prohibits the depiction of “any person, living or dead,” on the reverse of the coin. But President Trump’s likeness on the new $1 coin appears on the obverse, or obverse, of the coin, meaning it likely complies with the law.
What opposition will the coin face?
Late last year, Democratic Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (Nevada) and Jeff Merkley (Oregon) introduced a bill that would block President Trump’s face from appearing on coins.
“Monarchs put their faces on coins, but America has never had a king and never will have one,” Cortez Masto said. “Our bill would codify this nation’s long tradition of not having a living president on American coins. Congress must pass it without delay.” Their bill did not become law.
On Wednesday, Cortez Masto criticized the coin issuance in a statement to Al Jazeera, saying President Trump was prioritizing a “vanity project” over more pressing issues facing the country.
“The Trump dollar coin is completely contrary to America’s democratic values,” the senator said. “It is unacceptable that Secretary Bessent and the Mint moved forward with their plans to manufacture and sell it.”
The Treasury Department and the U.S. Mint did not immediately respond to Al Jazeera’s requests for comment.
