Numismatic

1940 Jefferson Nickel Avg Circ

---

In 1940, the United States Mint continued production of a five-cent coin that has since become a staple of American pocket change. This mid-century issue is part of the celebrated Jefferson Nickel series, which replaced the Buffalo nickel and established a new visual tradition for the denomination. The obverse of the coin displays a profile portrait of Thomas Jefferson, the nation's third president. Accompanying his likeness is the traditional national motto, declaring trust in a higher power. On the reverse, the design features Monticello, Jefferson's famous neoclassical estate located in Virginia. The building is rendered in careful detail, capturing the dome and portico of the historic home. This side also displays the classic Latin phrase denoting unity out of many, alongside the denomination of five cents and the name of the issuing nation.