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In the autumn of 2025, the U.S. Treasury quietly confirmed a piece of news that sparked global attention — during the celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, the first design draft of a one-dollar commemorative coin by the U.S. Mint featured the portrait of President Trump.
Treasury Secretary Brandon Beach confirmed this news on the social platform X: "This is not fake news. These initial designs for the commemoration of the 250th birthday of the country and the president are real. We look forward to sharing more details after the government shutdown ends."
A coin, a president, a symbol of a nation — this is not just a combination of metal and patterns, but a political narrative about power, history, and identity.
The Symbolism of the Coin Sketch: Freedom and Struggle
According to the initial sketch confirmed by the Treasury, the front of the commemorative coin features a profile of Trump, with "LIBERTY (Freedom)" at the top and "IN GOD WE TRUST (We Trust in God)" at the bottom, with the year marked as "1776–2026," symbolizing the time span from the War of Independence to the 250th anniversary of the founding of the nation.
The back design is more striking — it draws from the attempted assassination event in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 2024: Trump's right fist raised high, with the American flag behind him, and three prominent words above — "FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT."
This image has long been seen by the American right as a "moment of rebirth": that night, Trump was escorted off the stage in blood, but the next day he shouted "We will not be knocked down," successfully reshaping his "return from the ashes" political image. Now, it is engraved on the commemorative coin — almost a national symbol.
A Treasury spokesperson said: "Although the final design has not been determined, these initial sketches well reflect the spirit of the United States in adversity and the resilience of democracy."
But the problem is — this may be illegal
The design of U.S. coins is not entirely free creation, but subject to strict legal restrictions. According to Title 31 of the United States Code, Section 5112: "No coin issued under this section shall bear the portrait of the current President or a former President who is still alive, nor shall the portrait of a deceased President be used within two years of his death."
This regulation stems from the vigilance against "personal cult" in the spirit of the U.S. Constitution. Since the establishment of the republic, the United States has traditionally avoided printing living political figures on currency or stamps to prevent the "national symbol" from being privatized or politicized.
However, the sketch seems to have intentionally "circumvented" the wording of the law: Trump's portrait is on the front of the coin, while the law prohibits portraits on the "reverse side"; on the other hand, although the image on the reverse also features Trump, it is not a "head or bust," but rather a "scene" with action.
Technically speaking, this "gray area" may allow the design to barely stand legally. A Treasury spokesperson carefully stated: "These sketches are not the final version, and we are still conducting compliance reviews."
Commemorative Coin for the 250th Anniversary: Another Side of the Political Stage
The birth of this coin comes against the backdrop of the "Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2026." This bill was passed by Congress in 2020, authorizing the Treasury Department to issue a commemorative coin in 2026 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.
The law allows the Secretary of the Treasury to issue commemorative coins between January 1 and December 31, 2026, with themes that should "reflect the spirit of the founding of the United States and national symbols," but explicitly prohibits the use of portraits of living individuals.
However, in the political climate of Trump, the law is often interpreted as "negotiable." Trump himself has repeatedly hinted that the 250th anniversary celebration would be a "historical moment of American revival," even saying he hopes "the image of America will return to that of strong and patriotic people."
Historical Precedent: Coolidge and 1926
In fact, there has only been one instance in U.S. history where a sitting president appeared on a coin — in 1926, when the United States celebrated its 150th anniversary, then-President Calvin Coolidge appeared on a commemorative coin. This became a controversial event in U.S. coin history and led to subsequent legislation prohibiting the use of portraits of living presidents.
Now, exactly 100 years later, the United States faces the same debate — except this time, political division is far more intense.
Trump's supporters see it as a symbol of "historical cycles," believing he is the representative of "economic revival and national confidence," just like Coolidge. Critics, however, warn that putting a living president on money is a dangerous signal — the national symbol is beginning to tilt toward personal worship.
The Narrative Behind the Coin: From Currency to Faith
Visually, the two sides of this coin form a strong political contrast — the front represents "freedom and faith," while the back represents "struggle and victory." Together, they almost fully recreate Trump's political narrative: he claims to be a "free warrior persecuted by the system," who is reborn through attacks and leads through chaos.
The three words "FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT" echo his cry that night and have become a slogan for his supporters. If the final design is adopted, it will not be just a commemorative coin, but a materialization of a political declaration.
This also makes the meaning of the commemorative coin go beyond the realm of art, becoming a struggle for public memory — the 250th anniversary of the United States belongs to the nation, or to an individual?
The Treasury's Embarrassment and the White House's Silence
Facing media inquiries, the Treasury insisted that the sketches were "initial drafts" and had not yet entered the minting phase. However, it also admitted that these sketches "did indeed come from the official design team of the U.S. Mint."
When asked if Trump had seen these designs, the White House Press Secretary responded lightly: "I'm not sure he has seen them, but I'm certain he will like them."
This seemingly casual response reveals a political tacit understanding — in a highly personalized presidential term, the boundaries between national symbols and personal images are being deliberately blurred.
When Politics Enters Coins: Redefining National Symbols
Coin has always been a carrier of political symbols. From Lincoln appearing on pennies, to Roosevelt, Kennedy, and Eisenhower being cast into currency, the United States has used these images to convey the concept of "historical inheritance" — they are heroes of the past, not rulers of the present.
Presidential Coins in History
The significance of the Trump coin is entirely different. It does not belong to "historical commemoration," but to "current praise." On social media, conservative accounts have already shared the sketch millions of times, with captions reading: "He not only reshaped America, but will also remain forever in its symbol."
Critics warn that such symbolic "coinage" could make politics into faith and leaders into symbols — conflicting with the long-standing institutional restraint of the United States.
A former Treasury official told The New York Times: "The Mint used to be seen as a guardian of national memory, but now it may become an extension of personal promotion."
The 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States should have been a moment for the nation to look back and unite, but now it has once again fallen into an identity struggle because of a single coin.
As one commentator said: "This is not a story about coins, but a battle over the spirit of America."
The coin says "Freedom" on one side and "Fight" on the other. In the United States of 2026, the line between the two may already be blurred.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7557292921582551602/
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