US unveils draft design for $1 Trump coin to mark 250th independence celebrations

The U.S. Treasury Department released a draft design for a $1 coin on Friday, October 3, 2025, that would feature President Donald Trump to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence in 2026.

The draft design, images of which were shared by U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach on X, shows a profile of President Trump on the front, alongside the words “liberty” and “1776-2026.”

 The reverse side of the coin depicts President Trump with a raised, clenched fist in front of an American flag, with the words “fight, fight, fight” inscribed. This imagery is a reference to a statement he made after surviving an assassination attempt last year.

A Treasury spokesperson confirmed that a final design for the commemorative $1 coin has not yet been selected, but stated that “this first draft reflects well the enduring spirit of our country and democracy, even in the face of immense obstacles.”

The proposal has sparked debate over its legality. While Congress passed bipartisan legislation in 2020 authorizing the Treasury Secretary to issue $1 coins in 2026 with designs “emblematic of the U.S. semiquincentennial,” the law explicitly prohibits including a “head and shoulders portrait or bust” or a “portrait of a living person” on the reverse of the coin. 

Additionally, there is an older 1866 law that generally prohibits the portrait of any living person on U.S. currency, though this law primarily refers to paper money.

Legal experts have suggested that the design’s depiction of a wider illustration of President Trump on the reverse side may be an attempt to sidestep the ban on a “head and shoulders portrait or bust.” Another law concerning presidential dollar coins, which prohibits depicting a living president, is argued by some to apply only to the specific series of coins meant to honor each president.

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, when asked if President Trump had seen the draft design, responded, “I’m not sure if he’s seen it, but I’m sure he’ll love it.”

The release of more information about the coin’s final design is currently on hold, as Treasurer Beach indicated updates would be shared following the end of the ongoing partial government shutdown.

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