President Donald Trump has become the first living president to appear on U.S. currency, with the release of a $1 coin bearing his image. The coins, sold by the U.S. Mint, reportedly sold out within four hours of their release.
The administration had initially considered placing Trump's portrait on a $250 bill to commemorate the nation's 250th anniversary. However, U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beech indicated that the necessary legislative process would be difficult. "Since Congress isn't passing much legislation these days, officials decided to move on existing authority that allowed to put the president on a $1 coin," Beech told the Daily Mail.
Following approval, twelve different photographs of Trump were provided by the White House. Prototypes were produced and shown to the president, who then selected the final image for the coin. "This is what he picked," Beech stated.
The U.S. Mint offered the coins in pre-release rolls of 25 for $61 and bags of 100 for $154.50, significantly above their face value. The coins are made from an alloy of copper, zinc, manganese, and nickel. A special batch of 250,000 coins, struck on July 4, includes a "July 4th" privy mark.
While the Mint expects the premium pricing to be temporary, Beech confirmed that the dollar coins are slated to be available in U.S. banks within the next month, intended for circulation as legal tender. "You should be able to go into a bank like you get a roll of quarters, you should be able to get a roll of Trump coins, dollar coins, and then you can go out and use them as legal tender and spend them," he said.
The coin's release has drawn criticism and legal challenges. Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada called the move "completely contrary to America's democratic values" and noted her previous efforts, with Senator Jeff Merkley, to prohibit living presidents from appearing on U.S. currency. A lawsuit has also been filed, asserting that placing a living president's image on currency violates federal law.
Nine million coins were minted, with 8.75 million initially available for sale. The rarer July 4th-marked versions are reportedly already fetching hundreds of dollars online.
In response to questions about the appropriateness of honoring a sitting president on money during ongoing military operations, Beech emphasized national pride. "This is our 250th birthday. We're proud to be Americans," he stated. "We should all love this country. And we should love our president and respect our president and be happy that we got a dollar coin with his image on it."
Supporters at the Republican convention in Dallas expressed enthusiasm for the coin. Actor John Schneider described it as "fantastic" and a deserved "award." Others viewed the coins as "nostalgia" and "honor" rather than investments. Denise Hopkins from Louisiana called the coin "very cool" and suggested its potential use as "souvenirs, keepsakes, Christmas gifts, stocking stuffers."