Trump’s portrait to feature on 24K gold coin for US 250th anniversary after federal panel approval

WASHINGTON, DC: On Thursday, March 19, the US Commission of Fine Arts officially approved the final design for a 24-karat gold commemorative coin featuring President Donald Trump to celebrate America's 250th Anniversary on July 4. 

The unanimous vote by the commission members, who were appointed by President Trump earlier this year, allows the US Mint to start making the coin even though the exact size and value are still being discussed.

Trump gets unanimous approval for presidential commemorative coin

The decision was made without any objections from the board although federal law usually says that no living president can be shown on US currency.

Megan Sullivan, the acting chief of the office of design management at the Mint, explained that the treasury secretary has the power to authorize the minting and issuance of certain special coins. 

She presented the final design at the commission’s meeting on Thursday, March 19, and confirmed that Trump himself approved it. 

Sullivan said, “It is my understanding that the secretary of the treasury presented this design, as well as others, to the president and these were his selection.”

Meanwhile, Treasurer Brandon Beach supported the move in a statement, highlighting the symbolic nature of the release. 

He said, “As we approach our 250th birthday, we are thrilled to prepare coins that represent the enduring spirit of our country and democracy, and there is no profile more emblematic for the front of such coins than that of our serving president, Donald J Trump.”

Detailed look into the design of the gold coin

The front side of the coin shows an image of Trump wearing a suit and tie with a very serious look on his face. 

In the image, his fists are resting on top of a desk as he leans forward toward the viewer. 

The word “Liberty” is written in an arc across the top half of the coin, with the dates “1776” and “2026” placed directly underneath it. 

At the bottom, it features the phrase “In God We Trust,” with seven stars on one side and six stars on the other. 

The back of the coin shows a eagle flying with the words “United States of America” on the right and “E Pluribus Unum” on the left.

Chamberlain Harris, a top White House aide and a member of the commission, spoke about why this specific look was chosen. 

She said, “I know it’s a very strong and a very tough image of him, and I think it’s fitting to have a current sitting president who’s presiding over the country over the 250th year on a commemorative coin for said year.”

Commissioner advocates for a grand three-inch scale

While the coin will be part of a very limited production, the exact number of coins to be made has not been decided yet. 

During the meeting, several commission members talked about how much Trump likes large objects and suggested that the coin should be as big as possible. 

The commission’s vice chair, James McCrery, made a specific request during the voting process. 

He stated, “I motion to approve this as presented, and with the strong encouragement that you make it as large as possible, all the way to three inches in diameter.”

McCrery, who was the architect on Trump’s design proposal for the massive 90,000-square-foot ballroom addition at the White House, noted that the president prefers a grand scale. 

He told the board, “I think the president likes big things.” Harris agreed with this idea, noting her experience working closely with the president in the Oval Office. 

Regarding the size of the coin, she said, “I think the larger the better. The largest of that circulation, I think, would be his preference.”