Treasury Unveils Trump Coin, Testing 1866 Ban on Living Faces on U.S. Currency
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 7
Treasury Unveils Trump Coin, Testing 1866 Ban on Living Faces on U.S. Currency
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 7
Summary
The Treasury announced a new commemorative “gold” coin bearing President Trump’s face, immediately raising questions about whether it violates federal law.
An 1866 statute says only deceased individuals may appear on U.S. currency and securities, but the administration is arguing a coin is distinct from paper currency or a security.
The legal challenge may be hard to mount because the coin contains no actual gold and it is unclear who would have standing to sue to block it.
The dispute turns less on the design itself than on how broadly courts would interpret a 160-year-old currency law.