$1 Presidential Coin Goes On Sale Celebrating America's 250th Birthday

The U.S. Mint officially began selling a new $1 coin on Wednesday, designed to commemorate America's 250th birthday. This special issue coin features the "heads" side with the visage of President Donald Trump and the "tails" side displaying the Great Seal of the United States. The design received approval earlier this year from the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, whose members were appointed by President Trump. President Trump has previously commented on the coin's design, calling the idea "very unusual" but expressing that he was "honored by it." This initiative is part of a broader effort by the president to leave a lasting mark on history and Washington, D.C., with other branding attempts, such as renaming institutions, facing legal challenges.

The issuance of coins depicting a living president typically is barred by federal law. However, the Treasury Secretary possesses the authority to authorize the minting and issuance of special coins under specific circumstances. The U.S. Mint stated on its website that the coins were struck to "honor 250 years of great American heritage." The inscription "LIBERTY" appears in an arc above Trump's face, with "1776 (tilde) 2026" inscribed below. The reverse side of the coin showcases the Great Seal, depicting a bald eagle holding arrows in one claw and an olive branch in the other. A banner in the eagle's beak bears the Latin phrase "E PLURIBUS UNUM," meaning "out of many, one."

A roll containing 25 of these $1 coins is priced at $61, while a bag of 100 coins costs $154.50. The U.S. Mint has announced that some special-issue coins, marked "July 4th" because they were struck on that date, the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, have been randomly included among the rolls and bags. Initially, households are limited to two orders per household. However, this purchasing cap is scheduled to be lifted at 2 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday. The coins are legal tender, meaning they can be used for transactions, although their primary purpose is commemorative.