President Trump's handpicked arts commission has approved a 24-karat gold commemorative coin featuring his likeness, marking a controversial departure from American tradition. The U.S. Commission on Fine Arts unanimously voted to approve the design showing Trump with a glowering expression pressed against a desk, with an eagle on the reverse side.

This move comes as the Trump administration pushes ahead with at least three coins bearing the president's face, including a circulating $1 coin. The decision raises legal questions about the 1866 Thayer Amendment, which prohibits living individuals from appearing on U.S. currency. Administration lawyers argue that commemorative coins fall outside this restriction.

The Treasury Department plans to produce these coins under Secretary Scott Bessent's authority, with members of the commission encouraging making them as large as possible. The administration appears to be leveraging the 2020 Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act, which grants temporary authority to issue coins 'emblematic' of the 250th anniversary without defining what that means.