Commemorative Charlie Kirk Coins Proposed: What's the Process for Getting a Face on US Currency?

Charlie Kirk Coin: When conservative activist Charlie Kirk died on September 10, 2025, it changed how politics work in the US. Kirk was an important person in the conservative youth movement because he started Turning Point USA. Lawmakers are suggesting a special and lasting way to remember him now that he has died: a silver dollar coin with his face on it.

This project has gotten people all over the country talking about not only Kirk's legacy but also the long-standing tradition and legal process of choosing whose faces will be on U.S. currency.

The Process behind How Faces Get on a U.S. Currency

While the U.S. Treasury Secretary has final approval, a federal law dating back to 1866 strictly prohibits any living individual from being featured on U.S. paper currency or coins. Commemorative coins, on the other hand, are a different story. They are often made by an Act of Congress to honor a specific person or event.

A Legacy of Honoring Historical Figures 

Federal law has not allowed pictures of living people on U.S. paper money or coins since 1866. This rule is meant to stop a cult of personality from forming and to keep American money as a symbol of the country, not just one person.

Congressional Authority

The U.S. Mint makes the coins, but Congress decides when to make commemorative coins. These coins are different from the money we use every day because they are often made in small amounts for collectors or for specific purposes. Coins that honored people like Sacagawea, Martin Luther King Jr., and Jackie Robinson are some examples from the past.

The Criteria 

The U.S. Treasury Department chooses people for coins and paper money based on the idea of honoring "persons whose places in history the American people know well." This has usually only been given to U.S. Presidents, Founding Fathers, and other people who have made important, undisputed contributions to the history of the country.

Must Read: List of 7 US Currency Denominations still in Circulation

What is the Charlie Kirk Commemorative Coin Proposal? 

The "Charlie Kirk Commemorative Coin Act," introduced in Congress, is currently under consideration. The bill proposes minting a limited run of 400,000 silver dollars, with the intention of paying a lasting tribute to Charlie Kirk. His political allies strongly support the proposal, but it has also sparked debate. 

🚨 BREAKING: Legislation is being filed in the U.S. House to place CHARLIE KIRK on 400,000 silver dollar coins in 2026.

These coins would have "well done, good and faithful servant" on one side, and Charlie's face on the other side. They would be considered legal tender, and… pic.twitter.com/26fVPqulHR

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) September 24, 2025

Some people don't think it's right to honor someone who just died and was still politically active at the time of his death. They say that a commemorative coin should only be given to people with a more widely accepted historical legacy. As the legislative process goes on, we don't know what will happen to the bill or the coin.

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The "Charlie Kirk coins" campaign has already done one thing, whether this bill passes or not: it has gotten people all over the country talking about who we honor and what it takes for a person's likeness to become a permanent part of American history.

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