President Donald Trump‘s face may soon appear on a dollar coin, after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent unveiled the design Wednesday to mark America’s 250th birthday.

The coin shows Trump’s profile alongside “In God We Trust” and “Liberty 1776-2026.” Bessent said the U.S. Mint will begin striking the new “$1 gold coin,” calling it “a lasting symbol of patriotism” in a post on X.

The Treasury has not said whether the coin contains actual gold or is simply gold-colored, like the Sacagawea dollar. It also declined to say when the coin will be released or how many will circulate.

Why The Coin Faces Legal Trouble

An 1866 law known as the Thayer Amendment bars living people from appearing on U.S. currency, and the Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005 requires a president to be dead for at least two years before appearing on a coin.

Bessent argues those restrictions apply to paper money rather than coins, pointing to a 1926 coin featuring then-President Calvin Coolidge.

The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, a panel packed with Trump appointees, approved a Trump coin in March. But the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee, which reviews new designs by law, has refused to consider it.

“If they make this coin, it is illegal and Congress should act to stop it,” Donald Scarinci, the panel’s longest-serving member, told the Wall Street Journal.

What Prediction Markets Say

Traders on Kalshi give an 81% chance the Mint finalizes a Trump dollar design before 2027, up roughly 35 points on Bessent’s reveal.

The contract requires an official final selection confirmed by the Mint or Federal Register, and the design has already changed multiple times this year. Pending litigation could still force another revision or stall the process into 2027.

Trump Loves Putting His Name On Things

Trump’s name or likeness has recently appeared on federal buildings, some passports and Palm Beach’s airport, now renamed President Donald J. Trump International Airport.

Trump’s name has also proven lucrative on money itself. The president has reportedly earned around $1.4 billion from his crypto-related ventures, much of it driven by the Official Trump (CRYPTO: TRUMP) meme coin launched before his inauguration.

That coin peaked above $75 in January 2025 before losing most of its value.

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