United States Mint Presidential $1 Coin Design Use Policy

The United States Mint will not object to use of the obverse, reverse or edge of any United States Presidential $1 Coin approved by the Secretary of the Treasury (each, a “Covered Coin” and collectively, “Covered Coins”), subject to the following conditions:

  1. No Covered Coin design (or any other United States coin design) may be used in a manner inconsistent with applicable laws, including without limitation United States laws governing counterfeiting (18 U.S.C. §§ 486, et. seq.), and the misuse of coins (e.g., 18 U.S.C. § 475). These laws fall under the jurisdiction of the United States Secret Service and the United States Department of Justice, and apply equally to all coins, whether or not currently in circulation. Additional laws may apply to the use of Covered Coin designs. The United States Mint strongly encourages members of the public interested in using any United States coin design to visit the Consumer and Business Awareness section of the United States Mint Website for more information.
  2. No Covered Coin design (or any other United States coin design) or reproduction credit may be used in any way that could mislead or deceive the public or imply that the United States Mint, the Department of the Treasury, or the United States Government sponsors, endorses, approves, or is associated with (a) the product or service in which the design is used; (b) the creators or distributors of the product or service; or (c) any other nonfederal entity, person, activity, product, or service.
  3. When practicable, high-resolution Covered Coin images should be obtained directly from the United States Mint by download from the United States Mint’s online Pressroom Image Library. The United States Mint cannot honor requests for camera-ready artwork or other reformatting.
  4. Only when the obverse, reverse and/or edge design of any Covered Coin obtained from the United States Mint is reproduced in a publication for noncommercial educational purposes and not in connection with any promotion or advertising, credit should be given as follows: “United States Mint image.” The credit should be placed next to the reproduction of the Covered Coin. The following entry may be used instead if a credit page is provided: “Presidential $1 Coin image [or images] from the United States Mint.” No credit should be provided for any other use.
  5. The Covered Coin design’s use is not inconsistent with the Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005 (including its applicable Findings and Sense of Congress provisions.)
  6. PLEASE NOTE: Persons considering continuity programs should be aware that no assurance can be given that this policy will apply to future years’ Presidential $1 Coin designs. This policy does not cover use of the design of any coin not specifically defined above as a Covered Coin. For example, it does not cover the Golden Dollar featuring Sacagawea; any bullion coin, including First Spouse Bullion Coins; coins issued under the 50 State Quarters Program (which has its own design use policy); or the Westward Journey Nickel Series™ coins. It also does not cover the name or other trademarks of the United States Mint, nor does it cover publicity rights. It does not grant any waiver, release, or written permission of the Director of the United States Mint under 18 U.S.C. § 7091 or 31 U.S.C. § 333.2 By adopting and publishing this policy, the United States Mint is not waiving or abandoning any rights assigned or licensed to it, and is not authorizing or supporting any acquisition or claim of exclusive rights (such as trademark rights) in coin designs. The United States Mint makes no warranty of any kind and expressly disclaims any and all implied warranties relating to coin designs. This policy does not confer any personal right or cause of action, and does not relieve any party from any other duty or obligation.

1 18 U.S.C. § 709 prohibits a person from knowingly using, without written permission of the Director of the United States Mint, “the words ‘United States Mint’ or ‘U.S. Mint’ or any colorable imitation of such words, in connection with any advertisement, circular, book, pamphlet, or other publication, play, motion picture, broadcast, telecast, or other production, in a manner reasonably calculated to convey the impression that such advertisement, circular, book, pamphlet, or other publication, play, motion picture, broadcast, telecast, or other production, is approved, endorsed, or authorized by or associated in any manner with, the United States Mint.”

2 31 U.S.C. § 333 prohibits a person from using, “in connection with, or as a part of, any advertisement, solicitation, business activity, or product, whether alone or with other words, letters, symbols, or emblems [of the Treasury Department, its bureaus, including the United States Mint, and its officials, including United States Mint officials] . . . in a manner which could reasonably be interpreted or construed as conveying the false impression that such advertisement, solicitation, business activity, or product is in any manner approved, endorsed, sponsored, or authorized by, or associated with, the Department of the Treasury or any [Treasury Department bureau or official].”

Content last updated on

A list of linkable tags for topics mentioned on this page.

Tags: