Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent unveiled a commemorative $1 gold‑colored coin honoring the nation’s 250th birthday that features President Trump’s portrait—a design unprecedented since a sitting president appeared on U.S. currency a century ago. Legal scholars warn the coin likely violates a law barring the likeness of any living person from U.S. coins, though the Treasury cites a 2020 congressional authorization for the special‑edition piece. Democrats have introduced legislation to block the coin, and the design’s approval by the politically appointed Commission of Fine Arts has sparked criticism that the move politicizes currency. The coin will be minted in Philadelphia and sold later this fall, alongside other Trump‑themed money initiatives such as his signature on future paper notes.
Original Article Source Link:
https://www.npr.org/2026/07/17/nx-s1-5897380/trump-coin-face-laws-treasury-250