US treasury considers minting special $1 Trump coin for America’s 250th anniversary despite claims it's illegal
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, Money
Callum Jones
Featured Image Credit: Francis Chung/Politico/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, Money
The US treasury is considering minting a special $1 Donald Trump coin to mark America's 250th anniversary.
However, plenty of people are not thrilled about the move, with some claiming it's illegal.
Independence Day, or July 4 next year is the 250th anniversary of the US, and the country is planning big celebrations to mark it.
Of course, more details surrounding what will be going on in your area will be announced closer to the time, though the US treasury is already planning on a celebration surrounding the current POTUS.
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Treasurer Brandon Beach shared drafts of the coin on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Friday (October 3).
The treasurer wrote: "No fake news here. These first drafts honoring America’s 250th Birthday and @POTUS are real.
"Looking forward to sharing more soon, once the obstructionist shutdown of the United States government is over."
The coin features Trump on both sides, with the 'heads' seeing a side profile of the Republican president. But it's the 'tails' side of the coin that is certainly the more intriguing.
It sees Trump raising his fist with the US flag in the background, as well as the words 'Fight, Fight, Fight' along the top.
That side of the coin refers to the incredible photo of the president raising his fist to the crowd and mouthing these words to the crowd of a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania last year, where he was nearly assassinated.
In July 2024, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks took to the roof of a building located near to where Trump was hosting the open-air campaign event.
Crooks proceeded to fire several rounds in Trump's direction with one of the bullets grazing the president's ear.
Once shots were fired at Trump, Secret Service agents barricaded the now president in a bid to keep him safe.
The 79-year-old was then taken off stage and treated for minor injuries.
While some within the US treasury are hoping to portray the infamous moment on an anniversary coin, the recently released draft design has raised some questions.
US law states that 'only the portrait of a deceased individual may appear on United States currency and securities'.
Specifically with a $1 coin, a president cannot appear on the currency until two years after their death.
"It’s completely ILLEGAL," one critic wrote on X. "Only images of deceased individuals are allowed on currency: 31 U.S. Code § 5114."
Another said: "RE: Trump On A US Coin? Wait! Whoa! Hang on there, Sparky! THAT IS ILLEGAL!"
However, there are different rules for special commemorative coins - which are minted in smaller quantities.
We've seen living people appear on such coins in the past. For instance, in 2016 a gold coin of Nancy Reagan was released a month before her death.
A living president has also appeared on a coin celebrating the anniversary of US independence before - President Calvin Coolidge in 1926, who appeared on the coin in 1926 and died seven years later.
As such, it's pretty apparent the Trump coin is above board.
UNILAD has contacted the Treasury for comment.