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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on July 15 that the US Mint has begun striking a $1 commemorative gold coin bearing President Donald Trump’s portrait. The coin is slated for release in fall 2026, timed to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States.
That makes Trump the first sitting president to appear on US currency since Calvin Coolidge graced the 1926 sesquicentennial coins.
What’s on the coin
The obverse side features Trump’s portrait alongside the phrase “In God We Trust,” the word “Liberty,” and the date range “1776-2026.” The design passed muster with the US Commission of Fine Arts earlier this year, following a review of concepts that were initially presented in 2025.
The coin traces its legal authority back to bipartisan legislation that Trump signed in 2020, specifically aimed at commemorating the nation’s semiquincentennial.
The living president question
Federal law has traditionally restricted the depiction of living individuals on US currency. Treasury and Mint officials have responded by drawing a clear line between regular circulating currency and commemorative issues, arguing the latter operates under different rules. The Coolidge precedent from 1926 offers some historical cover, though it’s worth noting that was also a commemorative coin for a national anniversary, not a Lincoln penny replacement.
What this means for collectors and markets
Commemorative gold coins typically sell at significant premiums above their face value. A $1 face value on a gold coin is essentially symbolic, since the metal content alone is worth far more. The US Mint regularly issues gold commemoratives priced in the hundreds of dollars based on gold content, mintage limits, and collector demand.
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