Bessent Reveals $1 Gold Coin Featuring Trump’s Portrait

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday unveiled the first images of a proposed $1 gold coin featuring President Donald Trump, marking the latest effort by the Trump administration to place the president’s likeness on U.S. currency ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary.

In a post on X, Bessent displayed the coin, which features Trump’s portrait on one side alongside the inscriptions “In God we trust” and “Liberty 1776-2026.” He said the U.S. Mint will begin striking the $1 gold coin to recognize “the enduring legacy of liberty and a lasting symbol of patriotism.”

According to Bessent, the coin is intended to commemorate 250 years of American independence while celebrating what he described as American values. The newly revealed design closely resembles one of the Semiquincentennial concepts presented by the U.S. Mint earlier this year rather than the separate 24-karat commemorative coin approved by the Federal Commission of Fine Arts in March.

The proposal has drawn attention because federal law generally prohibits the image of a living person from appearing on U.S. currency. However, the Trump administration argues the new coin is permitted under a 2020 law authorizing special designs recognizing the country’s 250th anniversary, allowing it to avoid the restrictions that typically apply.

The issue has also prompted legislative action. In December, Democratic lawmakers, including Sens. Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, introduced the “Change Corruption Act,” which would explicitly bar the likeness of any living or sitting president from appearing on U.S. currency. Existing law already includes the 1886 “Thayer Amendment,” which prohibits images of living individuals on U.S. bonds, securities, notes and currency. Additionally, the Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005 authorizes circulating $1 coins featuring former U.S. presidents but limits eligibility to those who are deceased.

The newly revealed coin is separate from another commemorative gold coin approved in March by the Federal Commission of Fine Arts. That 24-karat coin depicts Trump leaning on the Resolute Desk, based on a portrait currently displayed at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.

The announcement also follows Bessent’s presentation in late May of a proposed $250 banknote featuring Trump’s portrait. He said the design was created as a preparatory measure should Congress approve legislation permitting a sitting president’s image to appear on the denomination. The proposal surfaced after a Washington Post report stated that the Treasury Department had asked the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to produce mock-ups of the $250 bill.