## Coin for the 250th Anniversary of the USA According to Euronews, the new one-dollar coin is dedicated to the 250th anniversary of American independence. Its obverse features a portrait of the current president, Donald Trump. Next to it are the inscriptions "LIBERTY" and "IN GOD WE TRUST," as well as a dual date — 1776–2026. The design was created by the Chief Engraver of the United States Mint, Joseph Menna. He used an official photograph of Trump taken by the White House. The reverse side depicts the presidential seal with an eagle, and the number 250 is added to the shield, symbolizing the country's anniversary. Despite its characteristic golden color, the coin contains no precious metal. It is primarily made of copper with additions of zinc, manganese, and nickel. The minting was done at the Philadelphia Mint. ## The Coin Will Be Hard to Find in Regular Change The U.S. Mint has already offered collectors the chance to purchase the new dollar coins. A roll of 25 coins is sold for $61, while a bag of 100 coins costs $154.50. However, it is unlikely that the coin will appear widely in American wallets. Dollar coins in the U.S. are traditionally much less popular than paper bills. Of particular interest are the 250,000 coins that received a special mark "July 4th" on July 4. They were distributed among collectible rolls and bags. ## Trump — Not Quite the First This is where the historical nuance arises. As noted by Euronews, the first sitting U.S. president to appear on an American coin while alive was Calvin Coolidge. In 1926, his image was placed next to the portrait of George Washington on a commemorative half-dollar issued for the 150th anniversary of American independence. But there is a fundamental difference: the coin with Coolidge was a commemorative issue. Now, we are talking about a dollar coin that can formally be used in circulation. ## Why the Coin Sparked Controversy American law traditionally prohibits the depiction of living people on coins. However, the Trump administration refers to the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, signed by Trump himself during his first presidential term. The document provides for the possibility of issuing special dollar coins in 2026 dedicated to the 250th anniversary of the USA. This provision became the legal basis for the unusual design. However, the approval process was also contentious. The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts suggested using a profile portrait of Trump and a different composition with the eagle. These recommendations were ultimately not accepted. Moreover, the Citizens' Advisory Committee on Coins, which usually reviews the Mint's projects, refused to discuss the proposed option. ## Why the Release Has Symbolic Significance The appearance of a sitting president on a coin is an unusual step for American monetary tradition. It is especially symbolic that it is Trump, who is serving his second term in the White House and is connected to the law that allowed the release of the commemorative coin. Formally, this is a commemorative issue for the 250th anniversary of the USA, but its appearance in monetary circulation turns it into a much more noticeable political and historical event. The new dollar coin featuring Trump could become a true rarity not only due to the limited interest of Americans in dollar coins. Its main feature is the sitting president on a coin issued in the year of the 250th anniversary of the USA. The story of the release shows how unusual this case is: Trump became the first sitting president whose image appeared on a dollar coin for circulation, although the precedent with Coolidge existed a hundred years ago.
