Legal Questions Arise Over Draft Trump $1 Coin Design
President Trump is seen following a joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska on Aug. 15. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
The US Treasury has confirmed a draft design for a $1 coin featuring President Trump, following images that surfaced online ahead of America’s 250th birthday next year. US Treasurer Brandon Beach addressed the leaks on X, writing, “No fake news here,” affirming the authenticity of the drafts while noting that more details would be released after the government shutdown ends, according to CNN.
The obverse of the coin shows a side profile of Trump alongside the words “Liberty” and “In God We Trust,” and the dates 1776 and 2026. The reverse features an image of Trump raising a fist—referencing the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania—flanked by the phrase “FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT” and an American flag.
The coin’s future remains uncertain, however, due to longstanding US laws restricting the depiction of living presidents or those deceased for less than two years on currency. A law governing coin designs specifically states that “no head and shoulders portrait or bust of any person, living or dead, and no portrait of a living person may be included in the design on the reverse of specified coins.” The draft appears to navigate this restriction by placing Trump’s side profile on the front and an action pose on the back, though it is unclear if this approach would fully comply with the law.
Rules surrounding coin imagery date back to 1866, when only deceased individuals were allowed on US currency “to avoid the appearance that America was a monarchy,” according to the New York Times. The policy originated after controversy involving the Chief of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Spencer Clark, who had placed his own image on a five-cent note and produced a large quantity before the error was caught. That historical reference has since been removed from the Treasury’s website.
A Treasury spokesperson emphasized that no final design has been selected, calling the draft “a reflection of the enduring spirit of our country and democracy.” When asked whether President Trump had seen the draft, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt replied, “I’m not sure if he’s seen it, but I’m sure he’ll love it.”
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