The U.S. Mint will begin striking a commemorative $1 coin featuring President Donald Trump to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Wednesday.
"As America commemorates 250 years of independence, the [U.S. Mint] will begin striking this new $1 gold coin to honor the enduring legacy of liberty and a lasting symbol of patriotism," Bessent wrote in a social media post. "Featuring President Trump, it celebrates the strength of American values, and the promise of a nation dedicated to preserving freedom for all."
The coins, which will feature a gold-like finish but are not made of real gold, are scheduled to be available in the fall, according to a Treasury Department spokesperson. Bessent released a rendering of the coin on July 15, 2026.
Federal law generally prohibits living presidents from appearing on U.S. currency. However, the Trump administration has contended that the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020 permits such designs for the nation's Semiquincentennial. While the same law bars any person from appearing on the reverse of a commemorative coin, the restriction does not apply to the obverse, or face, of the coin.
Coin designs are typically selected by the Treasury secretary after consulting with the Commission of Fine Arts and reviewing input from the bipartisan Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC). The Commission of Fine Arts approved the design last March. However, members of the CCAC have raised concerns about whether the committee was properly consulted.
Donald Scarinci, a numismatist and member of the CCAC, stated that the committee never had an opportunity to review the proposed coin design as required by law. He noted that a proposed December meeting to present the design did not occur due to an inability to reach a quorum on short notice. "We've never seen any design with the portrait of Donald Trump on it," Scarinci told ABC News. He added that "the concept that the secretary of the Treasury can create his own coin -- it's illegal."
Another CCAC member, Kellen Hoard, also said the board did not receive an opportunity to review the designs for the Semiquincentennial series. During a February meeting, Hoard questioned acting Mint Chief Counsel Greg Weinman about the legality of proceeding without the committee's review. Weinman responded that he disagreed with Hoard's characterization and indicated that the Mint's position was that the board made a conscious decision not to review the design.
A Treasury spokesperson told ABC News that legal research by the Mint and the Department of the Treasury determined the coin would be legal under the law authorizing coins for the Semiquincentennial. 
This coin is not the only currency bearing Trump's imprint. Paper currency printed this year will also feature Trump's signature above Bessent's. Bessent stated that this currency would also enter circulation this fall.
In May, officials also pushed for the design of a commemorative $250 bill with Trump's portrait and signature, should legislation to create such currency pass. That bill remains pending in the House Financial Services Committee. The last and only time a living president was featured on U.S. Mint hard currency was a century ago for the U.S. Sesquicentennial, when a half-dollar coin featured President Calvin Coolidge. A million of those coins were produced, but 860,000 were melted due to low demand.