Federal law prohibits putting any living people on U.S. coins.

“As America commemorates 250 years of independence, the US Mint will begin striking this new $1 gold coin to honor the enduring legacy of liberty and a lasting symbol of patriotism,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wrote Wednesday morning. “Featuring President Trump, it celebrates the strength of American values, and the promise of a nation dedicated to preserving freedom for all.”

This move is technically illegal, as 31 U.S. Code § 5112 proclaims that no coin shall “bear the image of a living former or current President,” until at least two years after their death. The Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020 also holds that living people cannot appear on the back of a coin. The Trump administration is trying to skirt those laws by arguing that the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act allows the president to create memorial coins to celebrate America’s 250th.

A Treasury Department spokesperson told Axios the coin is already being made and will be released this fall. This move is technically illegal, as 31 U.S. Code § 5112 proclaims that no coin shall “bear the image of a living former or current President,” until at least two years after their death. The Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020 also holds that living people cannot appear on the back of a coin. The Trump administration is trying to skirt those laws by arguing that the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act allows the president to create memorial coins to celebrate America’s 250th.

A Treasury Department spokesperson told Axios the coin is already being made and will be released this fall.

  • FreshParsnip@lemmy.ca
    8·
    3 days ago

    Although it’s a victimless crime, it’s still alarming that they can just blatantly ignore the law for Trump. What next? Ignoring election laws?

    • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.worldEnglish
      7·
      3 days ago

      it’s still alarming that they can just blatantly ignore the law for Trump

      Laws are only worth something if they’re enforced. Trump’s been Teflon his entire adult life, whether he was doing coke and real estate frauds in the 80s or embezzlement and racketeering in the 90s or child sex trafficking in the 00s or President Crimes in the 10s and 20s.

      Biden’s AG looked into Trump for four years and came back with “There’s literally nothing we could possibly prosecute him for so we won’t even try.” And this was a guy who got nailed on 34 counts of whatever it is Alvin Bragg indicted him over (paying off a prostitute with campaign donations, I think?) in a trial that ended with no actual punishment being assigned.

      Like, whatchagonna do? Laws are clearly for little people. Trump (and Musk and Eric Prince and Ron DeSantis and Bill Gates and Robert Richards IV and Prince Andrew and - really - anyone with the correct volume of money and power) can do whatever they damned please. Nobody is going to stop them.

      • lilacintheshade@lemmy.zip
        2·
        3 days ago

        I used to be hopeful that mechanisms for structural reform would prevail, but the wealthy seem hellbent on welding shut all the safety valves and unplugging the control panels to get a surge of power without anyone being able to stop them. Or even know how long before everything goes critical.

        But my centrist, apolitical friends don’t seem worried. I’m sure it’s fine.

      • FreshParsnip@lemmy.ca
        2·
        3 days ago

        But ultimately, the election results were upheld in the end. I’m imagining a scenario where the democrats win and it’s simply ignored and MAGA stays in power anyway

          • FreshParsnip@lemmy.ca
            1·
            3 days ago

            Did you reply to the wrong part of my comment? Yes, I’m aware they’re going to fuck with the election, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT I’M SAYING THEY’RE GOING TO DO! that doesn’t change the fact that the January 6th attack failed and Biden still became president. The election results weren’t ignored in the end. I’m agreeing with you that they’re going to be ignored in the future, that was my point to begin with

    • MajorasTerribleFate@lemmy.zip
      2·
      3 days ago

      Not sure I’d quite call it victimless. We use the choice of who or what to commemorate on cash and coins as a way to culturally recognize the collective value we as a society place on people, places, events, etc. By hijacking a new coin, Trump is removing our ability, at least for a time, to celebrate someone or something more meaningful. It’s a kind of softer victimization, but it’s not harmless.