By Richard Rubin
WASHINGTON -- A federal panel approved a commemorative gold coin design featuring President Trump, endorsing the rare step of putting a living, sitting president on American money.
The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, which is packed with Trump appointees, backed the coin design unanimously on Thursday and urged the U.S. Mint to make it as large as possible. Megan Sullivan, a Mint official, said final decisions on the size and denomination of the limited-production coin haven't been made yet.
In a statement, U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach praised the "beautiful commemorative gold coin" that shows a serious-faced Trump leaning forward on its front side and an eagle on the reverse.
"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," Beach said.
The administration had previously proposed a Trump dollar coin as part of the country's celebration of its 250th birthday.
The statute governing those coins requires review from a bipartisan Mint advisory panel, the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee. But that committee has refused to put a Trump coin on its agenda for review, slowing or preventing the Mint from producing it.
However, a separate section of the law lets Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent create commemorative gold coins, and that is what the administration is using for the Trump coin design approved at Thursday's meeting. Officials said during the meeting that Trump had examined the images himself.
Democrats and coin experts have panned the administration's efforts to put Trump on U.S. coinage, calling it a monarchical move that is inappropriate in a democracy.
"The White House's decision to trudge forward with a gold coin featuring President Trump is embarrassing and goes against our country's foundational values," said Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D., Nev.) who helped lead the legislation to create coins for the country's 250th birthday.
There is one precedent for a sitting president appearing on U.S. money, though many have been featured on coins after their deaths. In 1926, for the nation's 150th birthday, President Calvin Coolidge was featured in a double-image with George Washington on a commemorative half-dollar.
Write to Richard Rubin at richard.rubin@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 19, 2026 19:23 ET (23:23 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
