White House online gift store crashes as demand soars for Trump-Kim coin

The White House's online gift store has crashed due to the high demand for a commemorative coin marking the now-cancelled summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un.

Commemorative coin ahead of the US and North Korea summit.

Commemorative coin ahead of the US and North Korea summit. Source: Twitter

US President Donald Trump may have called off his summit with North Korea's Kim Jong-un but you can still order the commemorative coin from the White House gift shop.

And it's the "Deal of the Day" - selling for $US19.95, down from its regular $US24.95.

"The coin will be made whether or not the summit occurs as scheduled," the White House gift shop said on its website.

"The theme is coming closer to peace and celebrates the act of communication among countries," it said.

The gift shop said it was ready to provide a refund if the summit does not take place but "most supporters have said they want this heirloom of political history regardless of outcome."

But the online gift shop crashed on Friday morning as the demand for the coin soared.

Mr Trump blamed "tremendous anger" and "hostility" from the North Korean regime in calling off the June summit on Thursday.

The White House gift shop said the coin features silhouettes of Trump, North Korea's Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

It is not the same as a commemorative coin struck by the White House Communications Agency.

That coin depicts Trump and Kim, described as North Korea's "Supreme Leader," in profile facing each other in front of a background of US and North Korean flags.

The White House Communications Agency regularly issues commemorative or challenge coins to present to foreign guests, diplomats and members of the military.


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Source: AFP, SBS

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