Republican Lawmakers Propose Charlie Kirk Commemorative Silver Dollar

Two Republican lawmakers plan to introduce legislation on Friday to place Charlie Kirk on commemorative silver dollar coins. The measure, sponsored by Rep. Abe Hamadeh (R-Ariz.) and Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas), would direct the Treasury to mint 400,000 silver dollar coins in 2026. One side would bear the inscription "well done, good and faithful servant" and the other would show the slain Turning Point USA founder's name and likeness. The coins would be legal tender, and the final design would require the approval of President Donald Trump, according to the sponsors.

Hamadeh and Pfluger said the plan would ensure that Kirk's influence on American conservative activism would be remembered for generations and would make him the youngest American ever memorialized on legal currency if enacted. "Charles 'Charlie' James Kirk was an American treasure," Hamadeh said. "So, it’s only fitting that we create a treasured commemorative coin in his honor." He added, "I have full confidence that Charlie Kirk will go down in history as one of the most influential men of our great nation’s history, liberating young minds from the pernicious hold of leftists in our academic institutions and ushering in an era of brave faithfulness and national pride." Pfluger followed with: "This commemorative coin will make Charlie the youngest American ever immortalized on legal U.S. currency, a fitting honor that cements his extraordinary legacy alongside presidents and founding fathers who shaped our republic." "Through his leadership of Turning Point USA and relentless advocacy for American values, Charlie built a movement whose torch we will proudly carry forward to defend our nation’s core principles for generations to come."

Kirk’s death has underscored the political and cultural fault lines surrounding his influence. The sponsors have said the coin project would not involve taxpayer funding; they say Treasury would issue the commemorative coins, with production slated for 2026, and that the final design would undergo approval by President Trump. The measure would add to a historical list of commemoratives—Congress has authorized more than 150 since 1892—and would place Kirk among a select group memorialized on U.S. currency if enacted.

Kirk, 31, was assassinated on Sept. 10 while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University. A memorial service in Glendale, Arizona drew tens of thousands. President Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were among several high-level officials who spoke, alongside Kirk’s widow, Erica Kirk, and other conservative figures. Tyler Robinson, 22, has been charged with aggravated murder and related offenses; prosecutors in Utah are seeking the death penalty.

The case also raises questions about the cadence of political tributes and the Treasury’s role in producing commemorative currency. Since 1892, Congress has authorized more than 150 commemorative coins, a practice that continues to surface in debates over how the United States remembers public figures. If lawmakers succeed, the final design would be subject to presidential approval, and the Treasury would helm minting—potentially cementing Kirk’s legacy in a form that few 31-year-olds have achieved on U.S. currency.

If enacted, Kirk would become the youngest American ever memorialized on legal currency, a distinction the sponsors say would reflect his influence on a rising generation of conservatives. The plan remains a proposal, and its fate will depend on votes in Congress and the Treasury’s adherence to the lawmakers’ timetable for minting the coins.