Treasury Unveils Draft Trump 2026 $1 Coin for Semiquincentennial

On Friday, Oct. 3, the U.S. Treasury unveiled preliminary designs for a proposed $1 coin featuring President Donald J. Trump, part of a series planned to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026.

Draft renderings show a profile of Trump on the obverse with the inscriptions "LIBERTY," "1776–2026," and "IN GOD WE TRUST." The reverse features a raised clenched fist with the words "FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT" — referencing the words he mouthed immediately after surviving an assassination attempt last year — set against a backdrop of the American flag, along with the standard inscriptions "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and "E PLURIBUS UNUM."

U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach confirmed the authenticity of the designs.

"No fake news here. These first drafts honoring America’s 250th Birthday and @POTUS are real," Beach said in his post on X. "Looking forward to sharing more soon, once the obstructionist shutdown of the United States government is over.”

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reposted Beach’s message from his own X account.

Legal background: 2020 Coin Redesign Act

During Trump’s first administration, Congress passed the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020 (Public Law 116-330), which authorized the United States Mint to produce new designs on circulating coins from 2022 through 2030, including special designs for 2026 to celebrate the nation’s semiquincentennial.

Several circulating coin designs for 2026 have already been unveiled by the U.S. Mint and recommended to the Treasury Secretary after undergoing the standard review process. They include updated designs for the cent and nickel, along with unique versions of the dime, half dollar, and five semiquincentennial quarters themed to the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, Abolition, Suffrage, and Civil Rights. The designs were first presented by the Mint to the advisory panels that review U.S. coin and medal artwork — the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) and the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA).

Under the Act, the Treasury Secretary was also granted authority to issue one-year 2026 $1 coin designs emblematic of the nation’s 250th anniversary.

However, in keeping with tradition, the Act stipulates that coins must avoid "a head and shoulders portrait or bust of any person, living or dead," and further prohibits "a portrait of a living person" from being included in the design on the reverse of any coin under subsections (x), (y), and (z). Subsection (y) refers to the 250th anniversary coinage.

In a statement, a Treasury spokesperson said:

“While a final $1 dollar coin design has not yet been selected to commemorate the United States’ semiquincentennial, this first draft reflects well the enduring spirit of our country and democracy, even in the face of immense obstacles."

At the White House, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked whether Trump had seen the first draft designs.

"I’m not sure if he’s seen it, but I’m sure he’ll love it," Leavitt said.

Historical Exceptions

A longstanding policy prohibits depicting living individuals on U.S. coins. However, there have been exceptions. In 1926, a half dollar was issued for the nation’s 150th anniversary featuring President Calvin Coolidge. Another example is the 1995 Special Olympics World Games Silver Dollar, which portrayed Eunice Kennedy Shriver — the first U.S. coin to feature a living woman. Shriver founded the Special Olympics.

Broader 2026 Celebration Plans

In addition to releasing newly designed circulating coins in 2026, the U.S. Mint will issue five special "Best of the Mint" gold coin and silver medal sets as part of the nation’s semiquincentennial celebration. Three have already been revealed — the Mercury dime set, the Standing Liberty quarter set, and the Walking Liberty half dollar set. The Mint has far greater flexibility in producing gold coins and medals, while new circulating and silver coin designs require specific congressional authorization.