Jimmy Kimmel has found the catch in President Donald Trump’s latest moneymaking venture, and it’s hiding in the fine print.
The late-night host devoted part of his opening monologue on Wednesday evening to the commemorative gold coin being sold through a partnership involving the Trump Organization ahead of UFC Freedom 250, the mixed martial arts event Trump is hosting at the White House to coincide with both the nation’s 250th anniversary and his own 80th birthday.
“It just so happens that the Trump family is offering a special commemorative coin with his head on it for this UFC event for the low, low price of only $11,999,” Kimmel told his audience, flashing an image of the medallion on screen. “You can see though it’s a beautiful coin. ‘Julius UF Caesar’ is pictured. This is 1 ounce of pure PF70-rated gold.”
He quickly provided context. “Just by comparison, an ounce of PF70-rated gold in coin form without his head on it goes for about 4,500 bucks. So this is a deal,” he laughed.
The real punchline, Kimmel said, was in the disclaimer. Reading from the product’s fine print, he noted the coin is “intended for individual enjoyment only and not for investment purposes,” is “not political” and has “nothing to do with any political campaign,” and “is not legal tender and has no face value.”
“You really have to hand it to Trump,” Kimmel said. “I mean, it takes a special kind of con man to sell your supporters money they cannot spend anyplace.”
He then turned to the White House’s response to coverage of the coins. Reading a statement from spokesperson Davis Ingle—who pushed back on “fake news” about conflicts of interest and suggested critics purchase a “Trump Bible”—Kimmel was ready. “Repent, for only $59.99,” he said.
The coins come in four varieties, ranging from a silver medallion at nearly $250 to the $11,999.99 gold version, which includes a portrait of Trump alongside UFC chief Dana White.
The collaboration is between the UFC and the Trump Organization, run by the president’s sons Eric and Donald Trump Jr., though the organization appears to be licensing the brand rather than manufacturing the coins itself.
