By Gloria Nosa
The U.S. Treasury Department has unveiled a draft design for a special $1 coin proposed to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary of independence in 2026, featuring President Donald Trump.
Images of the proposed coin, shared on X (formerly Twitter) by U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach on Friday, October 3, 2025, show President Trump’s profile on the front, accompanied by the words “Liberty” and “1776–2026.” The reverse depicts Trump with a clenched fist raised before an American flag, alongside the phrase “Fight, Fight, Fight” — a reference to a remark he made after surviving an assassination attempt last year.
A Treasury spokesperson emphasized that the design is still provisional, stating, “This first draft reflects the enduring spirit of our democracy, even in the face of adversity.”
However, the proposal has already triggered controversy over its legality. Under bipartisan legislation passed in 2020, the Treasury Secretary was authorized to issue commemorative $1 coins for the semiquincentennial, but the law specifically forbids a “head-and-shoulders portrait or bust” or the portrait of a living person on the reverse. A much older 1866 law similarly prohibits living individuals from appearing on U.S. currency, though it was written mainly with paper money in mind.
Legal scholars say the depiction of Trump on the coin’s back — which shows his full figure rather than a bust — may be an attempt to navigate these restrictions. Meanwhile, some argue that laws barring living presidents from appearing on coins only apply to the existing presidential dollar coin program.
When asked about the design, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said she was unsure if President Trump had seen it but added, “I’m sure he’ll love it.”
Treasurer Beach has indicated that more details about the final design will be released once the ongoing partial government shutdown ends.
