United States President Donald Trump\u2019s face has officially found its way onto the country\u2019s currency.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday at 12pm Eastern Time (16:00 GMT), the US Mint began circulating \u2013 and selling<\/a> \u2013 a \u201conce-in-a-generation\u201d $1 coin bearing Trump\u2019s likeness to commemorate the nation\u2019s 250th anniversary.<\/p>\n Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list<\/p>\n The gold-coloured coins feature Trump\u2019s portrait on one side, alongside inscriptions of \u201cLIBERTY\u201d and \u201cIN GOD WE TRUST\u201d. On the reverse is an illustration of the US presidential seal with \u201c250\u201d inscribed on its shield.<\/p>\n The US Mint says the coins \u201ccapture the spirit, pride, and legacy of a nation approaching its landmark anniversary\u201d.<\/p>\n It\u2019s the first time in nearly 100 years that a living person has been featured on US currency, drawing a heavy dose of criticism, since such honours are largely reserved for long-dead dignitaries.<\/p>\n How did this $1 coin come to be? Here\u2019s what you need to know:<\/p>\n Why is this being done?<\/p>\n Since Trump returned to the White House last year, the administration has taken steps to put his name or image on an array of buildings and items, including the Kennedy Center<\/a>, the US Institute of Peace, National Parks passes, a limited-edition<\/a> passport and a $1m \u201cgold card\u201d visa<\/a> that was announced last year.<\/p>\n The Trump administration has tied some of those efforts to celebrations of the country\u2019s semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.<\/p>\n On July 15, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent first announced the coin in a post on social media. Bessent said the coin \u201ccelebrates the strength of American values, and the promise of a nation dedicated to preserving freedom for all\u201d.<\/p>\n The Trump administration has also pointed to another anniversary coin as a precedent for the Trump-branded $1 piece.<\/p>\n In 1926, for the 150th anniversary of the country, the US Mint struck a coin featuring side-by-side portraits of George Washington and Calvin Coolidge, a president who was in office at the time.<\/p>\n But critics have pointed out that the 1926 coin was commemorative and not intended for circulation as currency.<\/p>\n Are there other proposals for Trump-themed currency?<\/p>\n In May, Bessent also said<\/a> preparations were under way to print a new $250 banknote featuring Trump\u2019s face.<\/p>\n Bessent added that the Trump administration was seeking congressional approval for the new bill.<\/p>\n How much are the new coins?<\/p>\n Despite the coin being valued at $1, consumers can purchase a 25-coin roll for $61 or a 100-coin bag for $154.50 \u2014 a significant mark-up.<\/p>\n While the coins are being sold at a premium, the US Mint emphasises they are not solely decorative.<\/p>\n They are valid currency and can be used to make everyday purchases, just like a $1 bill.<\/p>\n Is it legal?<\/p>\n US federal law states: \u201cOnly the portrait of a deceased individual may appear on United States currency and securities.\u201d<\/p>\n Congress passed that law in 1866 after a Department of the Treasury official, Spencer M Clark, put his own face on a note valued at five cents, angering lawmakers.<\/p>\n