Want to Pull a Smile Out of Your Pocket? You’ll Soon Be Able To!

Two years ago the U.S. Mint decided to change the look of the American 5-cent coin by revamping the back of the nickel to show three images in a "Westward Journey Nickel Series." The series replaced the traditional image of Jefferson’s Virginia home, Monticello, with images commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase and the exploration of the new territory by Lewis and Clark. When the new series was first minted, the backs of the nickels showed images of a keel boat, a buffalo, and a view of the Pacific, with the same front side that had been in existence for 66 years.

Last year the front face of the nickel was changed to show a close-up of Jefferson’s face, slightly smiling, slightly turned toward the front, with the word "Liberty" written in his handwriting next to his image. And now the front of the nickel has changed yet again, with Jefferson facing fully toward the front. The Mint plans to begin shipping 80 million of the new nickels to the 12 regional Federal Reserve Banks, and an estimated 1 billion new nickels will be put into circulation over the next year.

Since 1909, when Abraham Lincoln became the first president depicted on a circulating coin, all the presidential images on American money have been shown in profile. But the nickel will break with tradition by depicting an image of Jefferson taken from an 1800 Rembrandt Peale portrait, where the president is looking forward with just the hint of a smile. On the opposite side, the image of Monticello has returned, but thanks to new minting techniques the picture is sharper and more defined.

Acting U.S. Mint Director David Lebryk believes the new smiling Jefferson nickel is the perfect way to complete the Westward Journey Nickel Series. "This nickel features a forward-looking President Jefferson who recognized that the Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clark expedition would expand our horizons in numerous ways," Lebryk said. "This is a hopeful, positive image, emblematic of a bright future for our nation." The new Jefferson nickels should start showing up in your pocket over the next five or six weeks, or you can order bags and rolls of them from the Mint’s website or by calling 1-800-USA-MINT.

The redesigned nickel should be around for quite a while, since there are currently no plans for further changes anytime soon. The next circulating coin to be redesigned will be the Sacagawea dollar. Beginning in 2007, two-thirds of the dollar coins produced each year will feature images of deceased presidents in the order they held office, with four being honored each year. A new penny is also planned for 2009 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth. The new coin will still feature a profile image of Lincoln on the front, but the reverse will be imprinted with various images pertaining to Lincoln’s life.