The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, composed of members appointed by President Donald Trump, unanimously approved on Thursday a commemorative gold coin bearing his likeness, which is part of a series of coins the U.S. Mint plans to issue to celebrate America's 250th anniversary this year, UNN reports with reference to Reuters.
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The 24-karat gold coin is the latest attempt by Trump and his allies to place the president's name on buildings, government programs, and U.S. currency since the start of his second term in the White House in January 2025.
During the presentation by a U.S. Mint representative to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, the discussion revolved around the diameter of the 24-karat coin, which could be up to three inches (7.6 cm).
Chamberlain Harris, a White House aide appointed by Trump to the commission this year, said Trump prefers the coin to be as large as possible.
"The bigger, the better," she said shortly before the coin was approved by the entire commission.
The U.S. Mint will now finalize the coin's dimensions. Trump has already approved the design, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to order the coin's minting.
The coin will feature a stern Trump leaning over a table and looking straight ahead. It is based on a photograph displayed at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington.
"As we approach our 250th anniversary, we are excited to prepare coins that embody the enduring spirit of our nation and democracy, and there is no more symbolic image for the obverse of such coins than the portrait of our current President Donald J. Trump," U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach said in a statement to Reuters.
The gold coin featuring Trump has drawn criticism from some Democrats and members of another federal arts committee.
"Monarchs and dictators put their faces on coins, not leaders of a democracy," Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley told Reuters.
"The Trump administration's attempt to put his face on a commemorative coin is his latest attempt to distort the meaning of America's 250th anniversary," the statement said.
The Trump administration has also proposed another $1 coin featuring Trump, which is expected to enter circulation this year, the publication writes.
Since his return to the White House in January 2025, Trump has immortalized his name on prominent Washington buildings, a planned class of Navy warships, a visa program for wealthy foreigners, a government website for selling prescription drugs, and federal savings accounts for children.