Fact Check

Did Russia Mint an 'In Trump We Trust' Coin?

A commemorative 'In Trump We Trust' coin was created as a souvenir by a private Russian company, not minted as currency by the Russian government.

Published Jan. 17, 2017

 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCQd0ewoLHU)
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Claim:
Russia minted "In Trump We Trust" coins ahead of the 45th U.S. president's inauguration.
What's True

A private Russian company is marketing "In Trump We Trust" coins as commemorative keepsakes.

What's False

The coins are not being minted by the Russian government or issued as currency.

On 17 January 2017, the liberal web site Addicting Info published a story with a headline that could be mistaken to mean that the Russian government had created a new piece of currency dedicated to incoming U.S. President Donald Trump: "Russians Mint ‘In Trump We Trust’ Coin to Commemorate U.S. Inauguration."

However, the body of the story revealed the fact that the coins were being manufactured and sold by a private Russian company, not minted by the Russian government and distributed as currency:

Just before the Inauguration for the president-elect, a Russian metal working company has minted a sterling silver coin to commemorate Donald Trump’s big day. The coin features Trump’s face and the Statue of Liberty is on the flip side. The coin includes the slogan “In Trump we trust.” Well, Russia certainly trusts Trump more than American citizens do. Trump will enter the Oval Office with the worst approval rating in modern history for a president-elect.

The coins are being sold by Art-Grani, which is based in the Chelyabinsk region of Russia, just north of the Kazakhstan border. The silver coins weigh one kilogram and containing a profile of U.S. President-elect Donald J. Trump on the obverse, with a depiction of the Statue of Liberty along with the words "In Trump We Trust" in English lettering on the reverse. Customers can purchase the coin directly from Art-Grani's web site:

The limited edition coin dedicated to the inauguration of Donald Trump, consists of 25 silver medal coins, 15 of the combined gold and silver and 5 gold.

Collection medal coin commemorates the metal a unique and extraordinary event of the modern world. Each instance of the series is assigned a unique number of the collection, which gives the product added value.

Collectible silver coin "Donald Trump" - a unique gift to your supervisor, the key partners or clients. Carpets of this level will emphasize your special relationship to the person. This high-level gift is a symbol of success, rapid career growth and unique achievements.

The coins are clearly intended as commemorative keepsakes for the 45th U.S. president's inauguration and are not official Russian monetary currency. Art-Grani director Vladimir Vasyukhin told the Associated Press Television News that the price of the coins hasn't been determined but would be a "few thousand dollars."

Sources

Kennard, Conover.    "Russians Mint ‘In Trump We Trust’ Coin to Commemorate U.S. Inauguration."       Addicting Info.     17 January 2017.

CBS News.     "Russian Company Minting 'In Trump We Trust' Coins."       17 January 2017.

      Art-grani.ru.    "Commemorative Medal Coins Series 'Donald Trump.'"       Accessed 17 January 2017.

Mills, Emma.   "Russian Company Releases Commemorative Donald Trump Silver Coin."     The Telegraph.   17 January 2017.

Bethania Palma is a journalist from the Los Angeles area who has been working in the news industry since 2006.

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