Happy Anniversary to the Jefferson Nickel!
Exactly 82 years ago, on November 15, 1938, the Jefferson Nickel was released into public circulation. Known as the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, the first Secretary of State, and the man who facilitated the Louisiana Purchase, Thomas Jefferson’s importance to American history is undeniable. With such a prestigious list of accomplishments, it is no surprise that our Third President, Thomas Jefferson, was chosen to be featured on the Nickel in 1938.
Early in 1938, the US Mint decided to retire James Earle Fraser’s iconic Buffalo Nickel design in favor of a design featuring Thomas Jefferson. In order to showcase the most stunning design possible, the Mint Director, Nellie Tayloe Ross, decided to hold a competition. There was overwhelming response to this competition as 390 entries were received. In the end, the award-winning German Artist, Felix Schlag, was selected and his rendition of Thomas Jefferson was displayed on the obverse of the Nickel. This stunning design was based off of a bust of Thomas Jefferson by Jean-Antoine Houdon. The reverse of the coin exhibited a beautiful engraving of President Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticello, which he designed and built himself.
Just four years after the Jefferson Nickel’s release, a compositional change was made as a result of World War II. From 1942 to 1945, the composition of the Jefferson Nickel was changed from 75% copper and 25% nickel to 56% copper, 35% silver, and 9% manganese. The reasoning for eliminating nickel from the composition of this coin was to allow the strategic metal to be used for the American war effort. To indicate this compositional change of the coin, a P mintmark was placed above the dome of Monticello on the reverse.
Schlag’s original design was used until 2004, when the U.S. Mint temporarily used a new design to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase. From 2004 to 2005, four different reverses were used in the Westward Journey series. Referring to the explorations of Lewis and Clark, the Westward Journey reverses included the Peace Medal, the Keelboat, the American Bison, and the Ocean in View. The Ocean in View reverse displays a quote from Clark’s Journal “Ocean in View! O! The Joy!” inscribed in front of a cliffside view of the Pacific Ocean.
Starting in 2006, a front-facing portrait of Thomas Jefferson, designed by Jamie Franki and sculpted by Donna weaver, was displayed on the obverse of Jefferson Nickel. The current reverse of the Jefferson Nickel continues to showcase Schlag’s stunning Monticello design. With a mintage that has spanned 82 years and has no end in sight, the Jefferson Nickel is easily the most prolific Nickel ever struck in United States history.
Rare Collectibles TV has a wide variety of American coinage, including these Jefferson Nickels:
