"In 1938, Treasury officials proposed an unprecedented national competition for American Sculptors to design "a new five cent coin to be known as the Jefferson Nickel." Felix Schlag was the winner of the $1,000 prize when his model ( altered somewhat in the final dies ) was selected from more than 400 competitive entries. The portrait of Thomas Jefferson shown on the front of this coin was modeled after the bust by Jean-Antonine Houdon. The reverse depicts Jefferson's famous home, Monticello, designed and constructed by him shortly before he became president. A statesman, scientist, architect, and inventor, he served his country as president from 1801 to 1809." - Whitman Publishing
Designer: Felix Schlag Weight: 5 grams Composition: 1938 - 1942, 1946 - 2003 -- 75% copper, 25% nickel; 1942 - 1945 -- 56% copper, 35% silver, 9% Manganese, with net weight .05626 oz. pure silver Diameter: 21.2 mm Edge: Plain Mints: Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco
Jefferson Nickels 1938 - 2003
Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco Mints, by Year
- 1938 , 1938 - D , 193 - S , 1939 , 1939 - D , 1939 - S , 1940 , 1940 - D , 1940 - S , 1941 , 1941 - D , 1941 - S , 1942 , 1942 - D , 1942 - P ( Silver Alloy ) , 1942 - S ( Silver Alloy ) , 1943 - P ( Silver Alloy ) , 1943 - D ( Silver Alloy ) , 1943 - S ( Silver Alloy ) , 1944 - P ( Silver Alloy ) , 1944 - D ( Silver Alloy ) , 1944 - S ( Silver Alloy ) , 1945 - P ( Silver Alloy ) , 1945 - D ( Silver Alloy ) , 1945 - S ( Silver Alloy ) , 1946 , 1946 - D , 1946 - S , 1947 , 1947 - D
- 19497 - S , 1948 , 1948 - D , 1948 - S , 1949 , 1949 - D , 1949 - S , 1950 , 1950 - D , 1951 , 1951 - D , 1951 - S , 1952 , 1952 - D , 1952 - S , 1953 , 1953 - D , 1953 - S , 1954 , 1954 - D , 1954 - S , 1955 , 1955 - D , 1956 , 1956 - D , 1957 , 1957 - D , 1958 , 1958 - D , 1959
- 1959 - D , 1960 , 1960 - D , 1961 , 1961 - D , 1962 , 1962 - D , 1963 , 1963 - D , 1964 , 1964 - D , 1965 , 1966 , 1967 , ( No Philly in 1968 ) , 1968 - D , 1968 - S , ( No Philly in 1969 ) , 1969 - D , 1969 - S , ( No Philly in 1970 ) , 1970 - D , 1970 - S , 1971 , 1971 - D , 1971 - S ( Proof ) , 1972 , 1972 - D , 1972 - S ( Proof ) , 1973 , 1973 - D , 1973 - S ( Proof ) , 1974
- 1974 - D , 1974 - S ( Proof ) , 1975 , 1975 - D , 1975 - S ( Proof ) , 1976 , 1976 - D , 1976 - S ( Proof ) , 1977 , 1977 - D , 1977 - S ( Proof ) , 1978 , 1978 - D , 1978 - S ( Proof ) , 1979 , 1979 - D , 1979 - S ( Proof ) , 1980 - P , 1980 - D , 1980 - S ( Proof ) , 1981 - P , 1981 - D , 1981 - S ( Proof ) , 1982 - P , 1982 - D , 1982 - S ( Proof ) , 1983 - P , 1983 - D , 1983 - S ( Proof ) , 1984 - P
- 1984 - D , 1984 - S ( Proof ) , 1985 - P , 1985 - D , 1985 - S ( Proof ) , 1986 - P , 1986 - D , 1986 - S ( Proof ) , 1987 - P , 1987 - D , 1987 - S ( Proof ) , 1988 - P , 1988 - D , 1988 - S ( Proof ) , 1989 - P , 1989 - D , 1989 - S ( Proof ) , 1990 - P , 1990 - D , 1990 - S ( Proof ) , 1991 - P , 1991 - D , 1991 - S ( Proof ) , 1992 - P , 1992 - D , 1992 - S ( Proof ) , 1993 - P , 1993 - D , 1993 - S ( Proof ) , 1994 - P
- 1944 - D , 1944 - S ( Proof ) , 1995 - P , 1995 - D , 1995 - S ( Proof ) , 1996 - P , 1996 - D , 1996 - S ( Proof ) , 1997 - P , 1997 - D , 1997 - S ( Proof ) , 1998 - P , 1998 - D , 1998 - S ( Proof ) , 1999 - P , 1999 - D , 1999 - S ( Proof ) , 2000 - P , 2000 - D , 2000 - S ( Proof ) , 2001 - P , 2001 - D , 2001 - S ( Proof ) , 2002 - P , 2002 - D , 2002 - S ( Proof ) , 2003 - P , 2003 - D , 2003 - S ( Proof ) , 1 Unlabeled Coin Slot