Portland Retired Attorney Sues to Block Trump 24-Karat Gold Coin for U.S. 250th Anniversary
Portland, Oregon — A 56-year-old retired attorney has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to halt the U.S. Mint’s production of a commemorative 24-karat gold coin featuring President Donald Trump, arguing that the plan violates a longstanding 1866 federal law prohibiting the depiction of living individuals on U.S. currency.
James M. Rickher, who lives in Portland after more than two decades of federal government service, filed the civil suit on March 24, 2026, in U.S. District Court in Portland against the U.S. Treasury Department and the U.S. Mint. He is seeking a court injunction to prevent minting of the coin, which is intended to mark America’s semiquincentennial — the nation’s 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026.
Rickher, a novice coin collector, said he first learned of the proposed coin when a federal arts commission approved its design. “I thought that couldn’t be right,” he told reporters. “Honestly, it bugged me. It bugged me that this was going to happen.” He drafted the lawsuit himself over a weekend and filed it pro se, emphasizing that his objection is rooted in law rather than personal politics. “It’s not just ‘Hey, I don’t like this.’ It’s against the law.”
The 1866 Law at the Center of the Dispute
The lawsuit centers on legislation enacted in 1866, often referred to as the Thayer Amendment or a related provision stemming from the post-Civil War era. The law was passed after a Treasury official placed his own image on currency, prompting Congress to prohibit portraits or likenesses of living persons on “bonds, securities, notes, fractional or postal currency of the United States.”
Rickher argues that this prohibition extends to the proposed Trump commemorative gold coin. The suit contends that issuing such a coin with the image of a sitting president would violate both the letter and the spirit of the longstanding ban, which was designed to prevent self-aggrandizement and avoid any appearance of monarchical tendencies in American governance.
The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, whose members were appointed by President Trump, approved the final design for the 24-karat gold coin on March 19, 2026, without objection. The design reportedly depicts Trump in the Oval Office setting, with references to 1776 and 2026. The coin is part of broader semiquincentennial commemorative efforts, though its exact size, denomination, and production quantity are still being finalized. Minting could begin soon unless a federal judge intervenes.
Legal and Historical Context
While the 1866 law explicitly targeted paper currency and securities, experts note that a strong tradition has long discouraged depicting living persons — especially sitting presidents — on U.S. coins. There have been rare historical exceptions, but the general policy has been to honor only deceased figures. Some legal observers point out that the original statute does not explicitly mention coins, potentially creating room for debate over whether commemorative issues fall under the prohibition.
The Treasury Department and Mint have not yet publicly detailed their legal defense, though officials have previously suggested that certain commemorative programs may operate under separate statutory authority granted to the Secretary of the Treasury.
Rickher’s suit now heads before a federal judge in Oregon. If the court grants an injunction, it could delay or derail the coin’s production. If the case is dismissed, the Mint would likely proceed, potentially making the Trump gold coin available to collectors later this year.
The development has drawn attention amid the nation’s preparations for its 250th birthday celebrations. Supporters of the coin view it as a fitting tribute to a transformative presidency, while critics see it as an unprecedented break from precedent.
For now, the fate of the proposed 24-karat gold coin rests with the federal judiciary. Rickher has framed his action simply: “Why not push back” when something appears to violate clear legal boundaries.
The case underscores ongoing debates about presidential imagery, commemorative traditions, and the balance between celebration and established norms in American numismatics.