The gold coins bearing President Donald Trump’s likeness will not be ready in time for America’s 250th birthday, the milestone they were intended to commemorate, according to a new report. In a legal filing obtained by Newsweek, a U.S. Mint official confirmed that the coin, which Democrats have sought to ban, remains in the conceptual phase and may not be released until months after July 4.
Design Delays and Production Timeline
“The Mint is currently in the design stage of a large 24k gold coin depicting President Trump in commemoration of the United States Semiquincentennial,” wrote April Stafford, Director of the Office of Design Management. “There is no official on-sale date for this gold coin. While the coin will be minted in celebration of the Semiquincentennial on July 4, 2026, this is not the target date for issuance.” Once a design is approved, manufacturing could take several months, according to Newsweek. The filing also states that only 47 coins will be minted, each containing roughly $90,000 worth of gold.
Legal Challenge and Controversy
The filing is part of a lawsuit by James Rickher, a Portland resident, who seeks to halt production of the commemorative pieces. He argues that U.S. law prohibits depicting a living president on currency. Title 31 of the U.S. Code states: “Only the portrait of a deceased individual may appear on United States currency and securities.” The Thayer Amendment of 1866 also bans living individuals from appearing on U.S. currency, according to ABC News. However, the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, signed into law by Trump in 2021, only prohibits living people from being featured “on the reverse of any coin” in the commemorative series.
US Mint Defense and Precedent
In the filing, the U.S. Mint argued the coin is lawful, citing past examples of living figures on currency, including the 1926 Sesquicentennial half dollar depicting President Calvin Coolidge alongside George Washington. The Mint first unveiled plans for commemorative $1 coins bearing Trump’s likeness in October 2025. The Mint’s website lists three designs: two with headshots of Trump and one with his side profile, all featuring “IN GOD WE TRUST” and “1776 ~ 2026.” Another design promoted by a Treasury Department official shows Trump raising his fist after his assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, with “Fight Fight Fight” inscribed along the edges. The Independent has reached out to the U.S. Mint for comment.
