A federal oversight body packed with loyalists to President Donald Trump voted Thursday to approve the design of a 24-karat commemorative gold coin featuring the sitting president’s likeness, a move that critics and legal experts warn violates centuries of democratic tradition and potentially federal law.
The Commission of Fine Arts (CFA), which recently underwent a wholesale membership purge by the administration, formally greenlit the proposal for the 2026 “Semiquincentennial” series. The design depicts a stern-faced Trump leaning over a desk with clenched fists—an image based on a White House photograph now housed in the National Portrait Gallery.
During the hearing, commissioners—including former Trump aides and associates—urged the U.S. Mint to produce the coin at its maximum possible scale.
“The larger the better,” said Chamberlain Harris, a 26-year-old former White House receptionist recently appointed to the panel. “I think the president likes big things.”
A Break from 250 Years of Tradition
The decision marks a radical departure from the American “No Living Presidents” custom, a standard set by George Washington to distance the young republic from European monarchies. While the Treasury Department argues that the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020 provides a loophole for commemorative issues, the move has ignited a firestorm of opposition.
“Only those nations ruled by kings or dictators display the image of their sitting ruler on the coins of the realm,” said Donald Scarinci, a senior member of the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC), a separate body that refused to endorse the design.
The administration’s strategy appears to bypass the CCAC entirely. U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach stated that because the CCAC “expressly declined” to review the designs, the Mint’s statutory obligation to seek their advice has been fulfilled. Under the current interpretation by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the Secretary maintains sole discretion over the final selection.
Key Points of the Proposal
- Material: 24-karat, 99.99% fine gold.
- Dimensions: Commissioners requested a diameter of up to three inches, the largest size the Mint can manufacture.
- Design: Features Trump’s profile with the word “LIBERTY” and the dual dates “1776–2026.”
- Cost: While a final price is not set, similar gold commemoratives (such as the Wonder Woman coin) retail for over $4,000.
Legal and Legislative Backlash
The legality of the coin remains a central point of contention. Federal law generally prohibits the depiction of living persons on U.S. currency to prevent the creation of a “cult of personality.”
In response to the CFA vote, Democratic Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) introduced legislation to explicitly block any sitting or living president from appearing on U.S. coins or currency.
“Monarchs and dictators put their faces on coins, not leaders of a democracy,” Merkley said in a statement.
The “Purged” Commission
The CFA’s unanimous approval was made possible by the President’s decision last October to fire six sitting members of the commission and replace them with allies. Among the new members is James McCrery II, an architect who previously worked on the administration’s controversial $400 million White House ballroom project.
McCrery led the push for the coin’s size on Thursday, stating, “In terms of the diameter, I think the President likes big things. Generally, I do too.”
The U.S. Mint has not yet provided a specific release date, though production is expected to begin ahead of the July 4, 2026, anniversary.
