Gold $1 Coins Bearing Trump’s Face Are Now on Sale, and They Cost More Than Double Their Value
Gold $1 Coins Bearing Trump’s Face Are Now on Sale, and They Cost More Than Double Their Value
Joseph KonigThu, September 3, 2026 at 12:55 AM UTC
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President Donald Trump on July 13. The “Semiquincentennial President Donald J. Trump 2026 $1 Coin.”Credit: SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty; U.S. Mint -
The U.S. Mint officially started selling $1 gold coins with President Donald Trump’s portrait on Wednesday, Sept. 2
The U.S. Mint said the coins will cost as much as $2.44 each, and will feature Trump’s portrait in a “once-in-a-generation” design
The commemorative “Semiquincentennial President Donald J. Trump 2026 $1 Coin” — in honor of the country’s 250th year — is legal tender, according to the U.S. Mint
The U.S. Mint officially started selling $1 gold coins featuring President Donald Trump’s portrait on Wednesday, Sept. 2, for prices up to $2.44 a coin.
The commemorative “Semiquincentennial President Donald J. Trump 2026 $1 Coin” — in honor of the country’s 250th year — is legal tender, according to the U.S. Mint. That’s despite federal laws barring living people’s portraits on U.S. cash.
“The coins—minted at the Philadelphia Mint—have circulating finishes but have never been placed into circulation. However, they may be still used as legal tender,” the U.S. Mint said, adding that the special edition coin captures “the spirit, pride, and legacy of a nation approaching its landmark anniversary.”
The “Semiquincentennial President Donald J. Trump 2026 $1 Coin” went on sale on Wednesday, Sept. 2.Credit: U.S. Mint
“These special circulating dollar coins combine everyday American coinage with a once-in-a-generation anniversary design destined to become a standout addition to modern collections,” the agency wrote in its description of the coin.
Within hours, the U.S. Mint put a message on its website telling would-be coin collectors that the coin is “currently on backorder.” The Trump-emblazoned coins went on sale at noon ET with offerings of rolls of 25 coins for $61 (or $2.44 a coin) and bags of 100 coins for $154.50 (or $1.54 a coin).
However, the U.S. Mint also noted that an unspecified number of the coins were placed into circulation.
“These coins are also in circulation, so check your pocket change,” the agency wrote in a post to X. “Collect them today!”
The front of the coin features a portrait of Trump that was designed by U.S. Mint chief engraver Joseph Menna and based on a photo taken by White House photographer Daniel Torok, according to a release.
The image is flanked by more recognizable hallmarks of American currency, including the words “Liberty” and “In God We Trust.” At the bottom, “1776-2026” commemorates the nation’s milestone anniversary.
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The coin’s reverse side features the presidential seal — an eagle holding an olive branch and a bundle of arrows with “E Pluribus Unum” engraved on a banner.
The gold coins were minted to “honor the enduring legacy of liberty and a lasting symbol of patriotism,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessentwrote on X in July as the coins went into production. “Featuring President Trump, it celebrates the strength of American values, and the promise of a nation dedicated to preserving freedom for all.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks alongside President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Sept. 5, 2025.Credit: Kevin Dietsch/Getty
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Bessent approved the coin, citing a federal law from Trump’s first term that included a provision empowering the treasury secretary to mint “$1 dollar coins with designs emblematic of the United States semiquincentennial” in 2026.
The law does not specify what an “emblematic” design of the country’s 250th anniversary is, but the Trump administration argued that it cleared the way for the coin honoring the incumbent president.
Typically, living people are not allowed to appear on U.S. currency, but there is a century-old precedent: In 1926, Calvin Coolidge appeared on a half-dollar coin alongside President George Washington. The coin was issued to commemorate the United States’ 150th anniversary.
Democrats in Congress mocked the new coin, contrasting it with Americans’ economic struggles — including the price of gas, which rose to an average of $4.12 a gallon nationwide on Wednesday, according to AAA.
“Get your new Trump $1 coin today!” Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., wrote on X. “It’ll get ya ¼ a gallon of gas.”
on People
Source: “AOL Money”
