Trump’s $1 coin sends MAGA into frenzy… as fans flock to shiny keepsakes and legal fight ignites
President Donald Trump put his face on American money — becoming the first living president to appear on a U.S. $1 coin — and it sold out in mere hours.
US Treasurer Brandon Beach told the Daily Mail that the administration had initially wanted to put Trump’s portrait on a $250 bill to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary, but discovered that legislation would be needed.
Since Congress isn’t passing much legislation these days, officials decided to move on existing authority that allowed to put the president on a $1 coin.
He said he contacted White House photography and was given 12 different pictures of Trump. Officials then produced prototypes and showed them to the president, who selected the final image.
‘This is what he picked,’ Beach said. ‘It came out last week. We sold out in four hours.’
The Mint sold the coins in pre-release rolls of 25 for $61, nearly two and a half times their face value, and in bags of 100 for $154.50.
They gleam like gold and contain none: the alloy is copper, zinc, manganese and nickel. A special batch of 250,000 struck on July 4 carries a ‘July 4th’ privy mark.
Beach insisted the premium is temporary.
US Treasurer Brandon Beach told the Daily Mail that the administration had initially wanted to put Trump’s portrait on a $250 bill to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary, but discovered that legislation would be needed
At the convention, Trump’s supporters were largely unfazed by the price. Karen Love, from the Dallas area, said she had not heard about the coin before being asked about it, but thought the price was ‘fair’ and suggested it could become a ‘memorial kind of thing’
The coins were being sold as a pre-release by the Mint in rolls of 25 for $61, above their $25 face value. Beach says the dollar coin will hit banks in the US ‘within the next month’
‘You can get these at a bank in the next month. You should be able to go into a bank like you get a roll of quarters, you should be able to get a roll of Trump coins, dollar coins, and then you can go out and use them as legal tender and spend them.’
The coin is already proving controversial, with Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada calling it ‘completely contrary to America’s democratic values’ and previously introducing legislation with Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley to block living presidents from appearing on US currency.
A legal challenge has also been filed, arguing that putting a living president’s likeness on U.S. currency violates federal law.
Nine million coins were struck, with 8.75 million initially put up for sale by the Mint, while the rarer July 4-marked versions are already being offered for hundreds of dollars online, far above their $1 face value.
And for those who want to spend rather than collect them, Beach said the coins should soon be available through banks just like rolls of quarters.
‘You should be able to go into a bank like you get a roll of quarters, you should be able to get a roll of Trump coins, dollar coins, and then you can go out and use them as legal tender and spend them.’
Asked whether it was appropriate to honor a sitting president on money while American forces were fighting a war with Iran, Beach did not hesitate.
‘No, listen, this is our 250th birthday. We’re proud to be Americans,’ he said. ‘I love this country. I’m unapologetic about loving America and being part of a great country, and we should all love this country. And we should love our president and respect our president and be happy that we got a dollar coin with his image on it.’
At the Republican convention in Dallas, where the coin was the talk of the floor, the price drew shrugs.
Actor John Schneider was the most emphatic.
‘I think it’s fantastic,’ the Dukes of Hazzard star said. ‘He’s done so much for our country, not only in our country, but globally, that I think it’s a wonderful, wonderful kind of award for him and he deserves it.’
Schneider said he saw the coins as ‘nostalgia’ and ‘honor’ rather than investment. ‘I don’t think a lot of people talk about honoring President Trump, and I don’t know why,’ he said.
Denise Hopkins, from Mandeville, Louisiana, called the coin ‘very cool’ and rattled off its uses: ‘souvenirs, keepsakes, Christmas gifts, stocking stuffers.’
Roy Parker, of Carrollton, Texas, said of Trump becoming the first living president on a U.S. dollar coin: ‘I would absolutely love that,’ citing ‘everything that he’s done for this country.’
Michael Walton, from Dallas, was more clear-eyed about the markup. ‘It’s probably going to end up being a novelty. So it’s not unexpected.’
Karen Love, from the Dallas area, had not heard of the coin until asked, but called $61 ‘fair’ and guessed it would become a ‘memorial kind of thing.’
Schneider had no ceiling at all.
‘I’d spend $90 to honor him,’ he said. ‘Why not 100? I’ll do it.’
