The $1 Trump coin: legal tender, depending on what you mean by legal
Various laws and 250 years of tradition prevent the likeness of living people from appearing on currency. Donald Trump and Scott Bessent don’t want you to worry about that
TL;DR
- A new $1 coin bearing Donald Trump's image has been released.
- US tradition and a 1866 law prohibit living individuals from appearing on currency.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent argues the coin is permissible, citing historical precedents.
- Scholars and some lawmakers question the legality of the coin.
- Legal attempts to block the coin's release have been denied by federal judges.
- The coin is made of zinc, manganese, nickel, and copper and costs significantly more than its face value to purchase.