Final design for Trump commemorative gold coin approved
FILE - Final 24-Karat commemorative coin design of President Donald J. Trump. (U.S. Commission of Fine Arts)
A federal arts commission just approved the design for a 24-karat gold commemorative coin that will bear President Donald Trump’s image to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.
The vote for the design took place on Thursday by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, which cleared the way for the U.S. Mint to begin production.
Trump also approved the design before the vote took place.
What they're saying:
"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," U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach said in a statement.
Trump’s gold coin
Dig deeper:
The front of the coin features an image of Trump in a suit and tie and with a stern look on his face. His fists rest on top of what is supposed to be a desk as he leans forward.
Lettering on the top half of the coin spells "LIBERTY" in a slight arc. Directly underneath that are the dates 1776-2026. The words "IN GOD WE TRUST" are at the bottom, with seven stars on one side of the coin and six stars on the other side.
The reverse side depicts a bald eagle midflight with "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" on the right side and "E PLURIBUS UNUM" on the left side.
The coin will be part of a "very limited production run," Megan Sullivan, the acting chief of the Office of Design Management at the Mint, said.
Past coins made for living US presidents
The backstory:
Federal law states no living president can appear on U.S. currency, but Sullivan said the Treasury secretary has the authority to allow minting and the issuance of certain coins.
There have only been two living U.S. presidents who had a commemorative coin made with their likeness on it and that includes Trump and President Calvin Coolidge.
Coolidge’s face was featured with an image of President George Washington overlaid on a commemorative coin that marked the nation’s sesquicentennial in 1926, according to a Washington Post report.
Coolidge’s face on the coin sparked so much controversy that most of the coins were later melted.
The Source: Information for this story was taken from The Associated Press and the Washington Post. The final design of the coin was also taken from the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts website. This story was reported from San Jose.