Treasury weighs $1 coin featuring Trump for 2026 U.S. semiquincentennial despite law restricting living portraits

The Treasury Department is considering minting a $1 coin with President Donald Trump’s likeness to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence in 2026.

Draft designs place Trump’s profile on the obverse alongside the word “Liberty” and the dates 1776–2026, with a reverse showing Trump with a raised fist in front of an American flag. The reverse evokes images captured after an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania during Trump’s 2024 campaign, and the motto “FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT” appears above his image—a chant Trump mouthed to supporters immediately after the attack. U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach acknowledged the authenticity of initial sketches, writing on X: “No fake news here. These first drafts honoring America’s 250th Birthday and @POTUS are real,” in response to a post revealing the designs.

The plan touches on the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, a measure Trump signed in January 2021. That statute bars “head and shoulders” portraits or busts of any person—living or dead—and prohibits any portrait of a living individual on the reverse of certain coins, including the semiquincentennial series. Comparable limits have guided Treasury policy for decades, with one noted exception: President Calvin Coolidge appeared on a commemorative half-dollar in 1926 while still in office. Since that episode, the Mint and the Treasury have steered clear of depicting living people.

A Treasury spokesperson told CNBC on Friday that the design for the $1 coin honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary remains undecided, saying, “This first draft reflects well the enduring spirit of the United States and its democracy, despite substantial hurdles. We look forward to sharing more soon.” The department did not immediately comment to Fortune. No timeline has been announced for a final decision, and a possible government shutdown could postpone it.