The United States Mint has begun selling new $1 coins bearing the likeness of President Donald Trump as part of its commemoration of America's 250th anniversary. These semiquincentennial coins, officially designated the "2026 Semiquincentennial President Donald J. Trump $1 Coin," are available for purchase directly from the US Mint and are also entering circulation.
The coins are being sold in 25-coin rolls and 100-coin bags, with prices ranging from $61 to $154.50. One side of the coin features a portrait of Trump, accompanied by the inscriptions "LIBERTY," "IN GOD WE TRUST," and the years "1776 ~ 2026." The portrait was designed by US Mint Chief Engraver Joseph Menna, drawing inspiration from an official White House photograph. The reverse side of the coin displays the presidential seal, an eagle with an olive branch and arrows, and the number "250" to signify the nation's 250th anniversary. The coins are considered legal tender by the US Mint.
A limited number of these coins include a special "July 4th" privy mark. These rarer versions were struck at the Philadelphia Mint on July 4 and 250,000 of them have been randomly inserted into the rolls and bags being sold. The Philadelphia-minted coins are being offered for sale at the Mint in Washington, D.C., for $5 each.
The release of a coin featuring a living president addresses a unique legal consideration. Federal law typically prohibits living individuals from appearing on U.S. currency. However, specific legislation for the nation's 250th-anniversary coins distinguishes between the obverse and reverse sides.
The Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, signed into law by Trump in January 2021, authorized the redesign of quarters, half dollars, and $1 coins for the anniversary. This statute permits the use of a living person's portrait on the obverse (front) of the coin, while prohibiting it on the reverse (back).
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent addressed this matter, noting that while the law prohibits an image of a living person on currency, historical precedent exists for commemorative coins. He cited the 150th-anniversary coin that featured then-President Calvin Coolidge as an example of past instances where living presidents appeared on coinage.