‘I’m not sure if he’s seen it, but I’m sure he’ll love it,’ White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.
The Treasury Department is drafting plans to create $1 commemorative coins featuring President Donald Trump’s visage ahead of the 250th anniversary of America’s independence.
In an Oct. 3 post on X, Treasurer Brandon Beach confirmed the draft of the design.
“No fake news here. These first drafts honoring America’s 250th Birthday and [Trump] are real,” Beach wrote. “Looking forward to sharing more soon, once the obstructionist shutdown of the United States government is over.”
The tails side of the $1 coin depicts the president beside an American flag, fists clenched, with “Fight, fight, fight” inscribed above.
This resembles the moment in Butler, Pennsylvania, when Trump raised his fist following an assassination attempt during a July 13, 2024, campaign rally.
It also bears the traditional “United States of America” and “E Pluribus Unum.”
The head side shows Trump’s profile alongside “Liberty” and “In God We Trust.”
The coin will be recognized as legal tender, meaning it can be used in everyday transactions at its face value of $1.
However, its actual circulation might depend on demand and distribution across the U.S. marketplace.
A Treasury spokesman, in a statement to The Epoch Times, said a final $1 coin design has not been officially selected, but the initial draft “reflects well the enduring spirit of our country and democracy, even in the face of immense obstacles.”
During the Oct. 3 press briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt noted that the president had yet to see the first draft of the coin.
“I’m not sure if he’s seen it, but I’m sure he’ll love it,” Leavitt told reporters.
Next year, the United States will commemorate the 250th anniversary of America’s independence.
Trump signed the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, introduced by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Texas).
The bill authorizes the Treasury to issue $1 coins during 2026 featuring designs “emblematic of the U.S. semiquincentennial.”
Former and incumbent presidents are typically restricted from being featured on coin designs.
Additionally, the 2020 legislation states that “no head and shoulders portrait or bust of any person, living or dead, and no portrait of a living person may be included.”
Additionally, the 2020 Collectible Coin Redesign Act permits the production of 2026 quarters featuring several different designs, such as those that symbolize women’s contributions to the birth of America, the Declaration of Independence, or other significant moments in American history.
Collectible quarters may also honor Native Americans or any innovators.
The last time a sitting president featured himself on a U.S. coin was Calvin Coolidge, according to the American Numismatic Association.
The purpose of the coin, which also included President George Washington, was to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and finance the Sesquicentennial Exposition held in Philadelphia.
It was not a circulating coin.
Over the years, various commemorative coins have been released, including the George Washington 250th anniversary half dollar (1982), the U.S. Statue of Liberty Coin (1986), and recognition of the centennial of the Olympics (1995-1996).
Penny for Your Thoughts
The current administration has made some changes to America’s coinage.
Earlier this year, the president confirmed on Truth Social that he requested Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to stop the production of one-cent coins.
“For far too long, the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents,” the president said on Feb. 9.
“This is so wasteful! I have instructed my Secretary of the U.S. Treasury to stop producing new pennies. Let’s rip the waste out of our great nation’s budget, even if it’s a penny at a time.”
In fiscal year 2024, according to the U.S. Mint’s annual report, the federal government spent approximately 3.7 cents to produce a single penny.
Officials attributed rising production costs to soaring zinc prices, which have doubled in the past 10 years.
The nickel also costs more to produce than its face value, totaling 13.8 cents.
This is because nickels are made of 75 percent copper—the industrial metal has increased in value by about 150 percent over the past decade.
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