TRUMP COMMEMORATIVE COIN PROPOSED

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V28 2025 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 28, Number 40, 2025, Article 25

But wait - there's more! Howard Berlin, Aaron Oppenheim, Alan Luedeking, Len Augsburger, Paul Horner, Kavan Ratnatunga and others sent in articles about a proposed coin picturing President Trump. -Editor

The U.S. may mint a $1 coin bearing President Trump's image for the 250th anniversary of America's independence, a Treasury spokesperson told Axios Friday.

Why it matters: Federal law generally prohibits depictions of living presidents on U.S. currency, but it's unclear if the design evades or violates those rules.

Fun fact: Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president, issued a half-dollar coin featuring himself and George Washington, the only time a U.S. coin depicted a sitting president, according to the U.S. Mint.

When I saw the news of this commemorative, the first thing I also thought of is that Trump is still living. I also saw the reference to the Calvin Coolidge Commemorative, but looked through Whitman's Official Red Book of Commemorative coins and saw three other examples:

The 1936 Lynchburg, VA Sesquicentennial Half dollar depicted former Virginia Congressman, Senator, and Secretary of the Treasury Carter Glass, who lived until 1946. Because of his position as Treasury Secretary, Glass's signature appears on some varieties of Large Size Federal Reserve Notes.
The 1936 Robinson-Arkansas Half Dollar depicted Alabama Sen. Joseph Robinson, who lived until 1937.
The 1995 Special Olympics dollar depicted Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who lived until 2009.

There were others that depicted non-specific living people, like depictions of athletes for the Olympics or World Cup or depictions of American soldiers in War-related commemoratives, but those are the only other 3 who depict specific living people. -Garrett

"I hope the law Title 31 U.S. Code § 5114 - Engraving and printing currency and security documents will be enforced."

Only the portrait of a deceased individual may appear on United States currency and securities.