Despite the golden appearance touted in official announcements, the coins contain no precious metals. Megan Sullivan, acting chief of the U.S. Mint's Office of Design Management, confirmed the pieces are composed of manganese brass and measure slightly larger than a standard quarter.

The initiative tests long-standing federal regulations. Since 1866, U.S. law has generally prohibited the depiction of living individuals on national currency. However, the Treasury Department contends that 2020 legislation authorizing commemorative designs for the nation’s semiquincentennial provides the necessary legal clearance to proceed. Secretary Bessent has pointed to the historical precedent of the Calvin Coolidge commemorative coin, which was minted for the nation’s 150th anniversary, as evidence that the government maintains the authority to feature sitting presidents on special issues.