The United States government has officially released a new gold-finished one-dollar coin featuring the face of President Donald Trump. Launched on Wednesday to mark the country’s 250th anniversary, the U.S. Mint has confirmed these coins are "also in circulation", meaning they can be spent in shops as normal legal tender.

Trump himself previously remarked that putting his face on a coin was “very unusual” but said he was “honored by it”. The design was approved earlier this year by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, whose members were appointed by Trump himself. However, the historic release has triggered an immediate legal debate across Washington.

How much they cost and what they look like

The coin features Trump’s face on the “heads” side. Arched above his image is the word “LIBERTY," with the dates “1776 (tilde) 2026” printed below to mark two and a half centuries of American history. Other versions of the design also include the words "In God We Trust" alongside "1776-2026".

The “tails” side features the Great Seal of the United States, depicting a bald eagle holding arrows in one claw and an olive branch in the other. The eagle is covered by a shield that says "250", and holds a banner in its beak with the Latin words “E PLURIBUS UNUM," which translates to "out of many, one". The U.S. Mint stated the coins were struck to “honor 250 years of great American heritage”.

These coins are not cheap for everyday buyers. A roll of 25 coins is priced at $61—representing a massive markup of 144 percent. A bag of 100 coins will cost you $154.50. To make things exciting, the U.S. Mint has randomly hidden special-issue coins marked “July 4th” inside the rolls and bags. These special coins were physically struck on America’s independence anniversary.

If you are looking to buy, there is currently a strict limit of two orders per household. However, the U.S. Mint is lifting this cap at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time today, Thursday.

A wider campaign to break legal precedents

The decision to put a sitting president's face on spendable money has run into immediate criticism. Under American federal law, no living president is allowed to appear on U.S. currency. While the U.S. Treasury did not respond to requests for comment on whether this new coin violates that law, the Treasury Secretary does have the legal authority to issue special coins under certain circumstances.

This coin is part of an unprecedented drive by the billionaire president to put his personal stamp on national institutions during his second term. Trump has already moved to place his name on Washington's Kennedy Center and the U.S. Institute of Peace. He also demolished the East Wing of the White House to make room for a new ballroom.

The campaign to put Trump on money does not stop here. In March, the Treasury announced that paper notes would soon carry Trump’s signature. In May, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent revealed plans to launch a new $250 bill featuring Trump’s face, though he admitted that the move would require Congress to change the law barring living persons from appearing on currency.