The U.S. Mint announced Wednesday that one-dollar coins bearing President Trump's likeness have now entered circulation and are available for purchase, commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence. This marks the first time since 1866 that a living individual's image has appeared on U.S. currency. The coins are sold in packs of 25 or 100, with a starting price of $61, and each coin's price ranges from $1.55 to $2.44 depending on the packaging.
The coin's obverse features President Trump's portrait alongside the inscriptions "LIBERTY" and "In God We Trust," while the reverse displays the presidential seal with the numeral "250" emblazoned on a shield. The circulation of this coin represents a victory for the current administration, which has persistently pursued placing the president's image on U.S. currency, breaking with a centuries-old tradition that barred living figures from appearing on American money.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to cement the president's mark on national symbols, following previous moves to attach his name or likeness to venues such as the Kennedy Center, banners hung on federal buildings, passports, national park passes, and last year's introduction of the million-dollar "Gold Card" visa program. In 1866, after a Treasury Department official's portrait was printed on a five-cent note, Congress enacted legislation prohibiting living individuals from appearing on "paper currency, bonds, or securities."
In 2020, President Trump signed a bipartisan bill authorizing the Treasury to issue one-dollar coins in 2026, with designs that would reflect the commemoration of America's 250th anniversary. Additionally, the president has proposed issuing a $250 banknote featuring his portrait; if successful, this would make him the first living person to appear on U.S. paper currency in centuries. Earlier this week, the newly minted one-dollar coins made their debut during the G20 summit held in North Carolina, where Treasury staff distributed some of the coins to their foreign counterparts.