(Washington, DC, Thursday, October 30, 2025)—Today was a big day for American coins and medals—and for
the office of the Director of the United States Mint. At 10:00 this morning, in the Dirksen Senate Office Building, several presidential nominees met for statements and questioning before the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Among them was Mr. Paul Hollis of Louisiana, the first longtime numismatist ever to be nominated as the Mint’s Director.

Every modern Mint Director has spoken publicly of a personal interest in coins. But Paul Hollis has actually collected and studied coins since childhood and has been a member of the American Numismatic Association for decades. He’s an active participant in both the “hobby” side and the “market” side of coins.

In his testimony, Hollis told the assembled Senators, “One of my earliest and most vivid memories dates back to when I was just seven years old. My grandmother gave me a coin that she had saved during the Great Depression. That small gesture left a lasting impression that quietly steered the course of my life. Today, I keep the coin that she gave me nearly a half-century ago as a tribute to her. I have kept the coin in my pocket at every important milestone in my life. And of course, it is here with me today, along with the catalog of coins that I made when I was just eight years old.”

Those of us who know the United States Mint will sometimes wink and smile when we hear Director nominees say such things. Every one of them pulls out a story of a coin given to them long ago by a family member. But Paul Hollis put his money where his mouth is. Recalling his childhood, he told the Senators, “While my classmates would give oral reports on Babe Ruth and Amelia Earhart, I would speak about David Rittenhouse—the first Director of the United States Mint back in 1792.”

Hollis described his career in numismatics, including volunteering as an educator and writing a book on the history of American coinage. Beyond numismatics, he told the Committee about his experience in Louisiana’s state legislature and election to its State Board of Education. This has given him the background to, as he put it, “unify diverse voices, navigate complex systems, and deliver results within tight guidelines and timelines.”

He also noted the importance of coinage in the upcoming 2026 national Semiquincentennial. “It is vital that we have a passionate ambassador for both our circulating coinage as well as our commemorative issues,” he said. “My passion and experience that spans many decades has equipped me to energize audiences, share the captivating stories behind our coinage, and promote new designs with enthusiasm and vision.”

Will Paul Hollis successfully lead the United States Mint through this significant era of American coinage? He sees his life as a path leading inevitably toward directing the Mint. “My journey has led me to this role,” he told the Senate Committee. “And, if confirmed, I will be truly honored to serve.”

Traditionally, in Senate confirmation hearings, Mint Director nominees don’t get mercilessly grilled and don’t field a lot of hardball questions. This was the case in Paul Hollis’s hearing this morning.

Most of the Committee’s questioning was directed to Mr. Travis Hill, nominee for the chair of the FDIC Board of Directors; Mr. Francis Cassidy, to be Assistant Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development; and Mr. Joseph Gormley, to be President of HUD’s Government National Mortgage Association.

Senator John N. Kennedy of Louisiana greeted the Mint nominee warmly. “Mr. Paul Hollis, I’ve known him for a long time. He is a favored son in Louisiana. He served honorably and admirably in our state legislature. He was on the board of elementary and secondary education. There’s no more important job in my state. There is nobody in this country who knows more about coins and coinage and numismatics than Paul Hollis, and all of us in Louisiana are so proud of him.”

Senator Christopher Van Hollen of Maryland asked about the prohibition of coins with a portrait of a living person. Hollis confirmed he was familiar with the issue. Van Hollen noted the law was meant to avoid currency becoming a vehicle of aggrandizement or “self-honoring,” to avoid the appearance of a monarchy, and to maintain the dignity of our currency by not showing living figures who might be “controversial, subject to change, or still actively involved in public life.” He questioned Hollis on whether the recently proposed dollar coin design depicting President Donald Trump would violate the law. Hollis assured the Senator that his background of thirty years as a professional numismatist and his career in elected office, having been professional and of high integrity, guarantees that he will always comply with the law. Questioned further, he affirmed he would “be more ears than mouth” and would seek legal advice on all such questions.

Asked by Senator Van Hollen about the Harriet Tubman portrait proposed for the twenty-dollar bill, Hollis respectfully referred him to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. The BEP, not the Mint, has jurisdiction over paper currency. Van Hollen asked that Hollis, as part of “that ecosystem,” do anything he can “to push that forward.”

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada remarked on her own work on the law that created the American Women quarters and Semiquincentennial circulating coins. She noted that it was never the legislation’s intent that the current president in 2026 would be featured on a circulating coin, and voiced her concern about the proposed Trump dollar. Hollis reassured her that “If confirmed as Director of the United States Mint, I will always seek legal counsel and am always 100 percent committed to following the law.”

If the Senate Committee has any more questions for Paul Hollis or other nominees, they will be submitted by 12 noon tomorrow (Friday, October 31, 2025). Nominees will then have until 5:00 pm Monday, November 3, to submit their answers to facilitate the Committee’s vote on their nomination.

On a personal note, the warmth, love, and pride Paul Hollis feels for his family were on full display in his Senate confirmation hearing. He spoke of his daughter Bree (a straight-A senior at the University of Alabama) and son Zachary (also a straight-A student and vice president of his student body). They were visible seated behind him,along with his two brothers and other friends and associates.

I have a copy of Paul Hollis’s book, American Numismatist, in my office library. I look forward to a long-time professional numismatist and published author taking on this important Treasury Department role. Paul Hollis’s name will be highlighted in many more history books from this point forward, as the forty-first Director of the United States Mint.

All images courtesy of Dennis Tucker

© 2025 Dennis Tucker. For more information, email dtucker@americannewsagency.or

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