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.What would you do if you had a 1 trillion dollar coin? If I were you, I would definitely put it in the safest place. I’ve lost too many quarters, and I don’t want this super-coin to slip away.
Unfortunately, a one trillion dollar coin was made not for personal use. It was made to solve economic problems running deep within the US economy. What is a trillion coin, and can it save the US? Learn from this article.
Do you think coins in your collection could be worth a trillion? This cool app can check coin value.
What is a Trillion Dollar Coin
This piece is technically not real.
Treasury trillion dollar coin is a proposed coin that could solve the U.S. debt crisis. This piece would be platinum-based and have a face value of 1 trillion dollars! Even more than the legendary American Gold Eagle.
Because this piece never came to fruition (at least not at this moment in 2025), it doesn’t have an official design. Though some artists made concept designs based on the presidential dollar series.
Speaking about presidents, some other artists proposed an Obama trillion dollar coin. The material and value would stay the same. The only difference would be Obama's portrait on the front. Funnily, Obama never officially appeared on the US pieces. Even Donald Trump was featured on 2024 silver coins.
National Debt and Economic Problems
What made the US even think of introducing such a coin? A trillion dollar coin inflation! The inflation itself came from the many debts the US has. Let’s try to understand it.
1. The U.S. government routinely borrows money to pay its bills (Social Security, military, interest on debt, etc.).
2. The government can borrow money from its “budget” infinitely. There’s a limit, a so-called “Debt Ceiling”.
3. Around 2020, the government was close to hitting that ceiling. The government could either:
Refuse to raise the ceiling. Then the Treasury could run out of cash, triggering a default. Then the government could no longer fund the military and the needs of society.
Continue borrowing and keep paying bills. Then the default is awarded, but the country is reaching higher inflation rates.
Back then, the government chose the latter option. They continued borrowing and raised the ceiling artificially. But they did not use the US trillion dollar coin and instead took different measures.
While today the actual implementation of a trillion piece seems unlikely, people still discuss the idea.
How a Trillion Dollar Emerged
In 1992, Populist Party presidential candidate Bo Gritz proposed to send a special coin to the Federal Reserve to pay off the debt.
The concept was forgotten until 2012, when debt almost reached the ceiling limit. Famous economists began proposing the idea in 1992.
On January 12, 2013, the Treasury and Federal Reserve declared they would not mint a trillion piece.
In 2020, the talk about implementing a trillion-piece resurged during the National COVID-19 pandemic.
In January 2023, Treasury stated that minting a trillion dollar piece is not planned, and they would solve the United States' debt-ceiling crisis another way.
In April 2023, Bloomberg News reported a poll of 1,212 people. They were asked about their opinion on a trillion piece. 14% supported the minting, 37% opposed it, and 49% were indecisive.
Fun fact: There were and are other trillion currencies. For example, 1 trillion Mark in Germany, created during a big post-war crisis. Unlike another wartime piece, 1941 Jefferson Nickel, it’s not valuable.
What Problems Could a Platinum Dollar Solve
By minting trillion dollar coin, the US economy would change. Big economists like Paul Krugman believed it would be for the better. So what problems could it solve?
Problem | Risks if unsolved | How the Coin Helps |
The debt ceiling reached | The Government can no longer pay its bills. The default comes | Provides a non-borrowing way to raise funds |
Risk of default | The Government can no longer support its people | Prevents missed payments |
Market instability | Bad economic growth. Constat borrowing | Maintains investor confidence |
Political deadlock | One party can ask for privileges, otherwise it would allow other parties to raise the ceiling | Offers an emergency legal workaround |
Government shutdowns | Market chaos and political instability | Keeps essential payments flowing |
A Controversy
Of course, such a big change could not only solve problems, but also cause them. The majority is still against implementing a trillion dollar platinum coin. It could:
Weaken the checks and balances system of the U.S. government. The executive branch would be able to control the other two branches.
Bring long-term inflation. If you put a trillion into the fund, the dollar in general would lose some of its value. This could bring a crisis.
Start a Fiscal crisis. The coin sets a dangerous precedent: “If money can just be created to fund spending, why bother with borrowing limits or budgeting?” Then the whole system could spiral out of control.
Maybe it’s better to postpone the arrival of this piece. One trillion-dollar coin value is perhaps too high for the economy to handle.
But there’s one app that can tell the value of most US coins.
Coin ID Scanner
Coin ID Scanner is an AI-based scanning app. You just take a photo of your collectible, and the app recognizes it in a sec.
The catalog is diverse and huge. The UK alone has 15000+ pieces, and if we combine all the countries, we’ll get more than 150,000 entries.
You might also appreciate many blogs that come with the app. They offer tips on how to find modern bits worth money and many blogs, from collecting to grading.
If you have any questions, the app comes with an AI Assistant.
Coins ID Scanner is free. Compatible with iOS and Android.
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