A new US$1 coin bearing President Donald Trump’s portrait has gone on sale in the United States as part of the country’s preparations to mark its 250th anniversary.
The United States Mint began accepting orders at noon Eastern time on Wednesday, September 2, for rolls of 25 coins and bags containing 100. Although the coins have a golden appearance, they are not made of gold and are intended to be legal tender.
Trump’s image appears on the obverse, alongside the inscriptions “LIBERTY”, “IN GOD WE TRUST” and “1776 ~ 2026”. The reverse carries the Presidential Seal, showing an eagle holding arrows and an olive branch, with “E PLURIBUS UNUM” — Latin for “out of many, one” — in its beak.
The coin is part of a one-year redesign programme for US currency created to commemorate the semiquincentennial, or 250th anniversary, of the Declaration of Independence. The Mint said the dollar was struck to honour “250 years of great American heritage”.
It was designed by United States Mint chief engraver Joseph Menna, using an official White House photograph by Daniel Torok as the inspiration for the portrait. The reverse was designed and sculpted by former Mint chief engraver Frank Gasparro.
The Commission of Fine Arts approved the circulating coin design at a meeting in January. Its records show that the panel was told the dollar would be the same size and composition as the Sacagawea and Native American dollar coins.
The decision has prompted criticism because federal law has traditionally restricted the appearance of living people on US currency. However, the Mint says the coin is authorised under the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, which permits new $1 coins with designs marking the semiquincentennial during 2026.
The release is part of a broader effort by Trump’s administration to place his name and image on prominent national institutions and projects, including the Kennedy Center and the US Institute of Peace. Several of those moves have faced legal challenges.
A roll costs $61, while a 100-coin bag is priced at $154.50. The Mint is also distributing a special version among the products: 250,000 coins struck on July 4 at its Philadelphia facility carry a “July 4th” mark.
Orders are initially limited to two products per household. The restriction is due to be lifted at 2pm Eastern time on Thursday, September 3.
