The White House Gift Shop (a for-profit company) is selling coronavirus commemorative coins now

[Behind the Aegis]

The White House Gift Shop is allowing online pre-orders for a coronavirus commemorative coin that costs $125. The website claims that 20 percent of proceeds will be “donated each day to U.S. hospitals including Johns Hopkins for its COVID-19 Coordination and Trackins [sic].”

The coin features the names of President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin, Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams, Coronavirus Response Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx, and Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci. It has a graphic of the COVID-19 virus on one side and the presidential podium on the other.

The coronavirus coin is the 11th in their “Historic Moments” collection. Other coins in the collection include one bearing Trump’s face and deemed a symbol of “the genius level thinking & proven successes of President Donald J. Trump.”

The White House Gift Shop previously issued a coin commemorating Trump’s meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. When the summit was in doubt, they announced they would still mint the coin whether it happened or not.

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Just when you think they can't go any lower, they lift the fucking barrel and start digging! ETA: While not the official White House, can't you see the WH selling this? I can.

ETA: The White House Gift Shop is a private, for-profit company based in Lancaster Country, Pennsylvania. It has no connection to the White House, the Secret Service or any part of the US government.

[Celerity]

1. No, the White House is not selling coronavirus-themed commemorative coins for $100

https://www.businessinsider.com/the-white-house-is-not-selling-a-125-coronavirus-coin-2020-4

On Wednesday, the Internet stumbled upon what looked like the White House selling decorative coins commemorating the US' coronavirus response for the price of $100 each, promising to "donate" the proceeds.
Almost immediately, thousands of angry tweeters accused the White House of profiting off the deadly coronavirus crisis, including Sen. Bernie Sanders.

But the supposed "White House Gift Shop" coins aren't made by the White House at all, but by a private, for-profit company that has no connection at all to the federal government.

Talking Points Memo found in 2018 that the White House Gift Shop was initially created in 1946 and run by the Secret Service Uniformed Division Benefit Fund. When the fund shut down in 2013, it transferred ownership of the shop to Gianni Strategic Enterprises, a private company incorporated in Pennsylvania and not affiliated with the White House.

Snip

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/white-house-gift-shop-tpm-investigation-continues

Link to tweet

[Behind the Aegis]

2. Thanks. Made an update.

[Celerity]

3. yw! love your posts in LGBTQ btw

[secondwind]

4. WTF??!!? This is so SO tacky and insensitive......

[Nature Man]

5. How much you wanna bet

the finished product is manufactured in China (cheapest place to get wholesale metalcrafts like this)?

[KewlKat]

6. Will the number of deaths be on the front or back of the coin?

They should be sure to take credit for what their incompetence created, don’t ya think?

[Vogon_Glory]

7. I can think of some wonderful COVID commemorative coins

Except they’d be highly unflattering to the individual occupying 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Just one idea has the Grim Reaper wearing a MAGA cap on one half and the virus on the other, while the other side of the coin shows a view of Individual One playing golf.