Numismatic

1940-S Jefferson Nickel Avg Circ

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In 1940, the San Francisco Mint produced a five-cent piece that remains a classic representative of early twentieth-century American coinage. This piece, now found in average circulated condition, belongs to the enduring Jefferson nickel series, which replaced the Buffalo nickel and became a staple of daily commerce across the United States. Crafted from a copper alloy, this coin represents the design standards of the era just before the nation entered World War II. The obverse of the coin features a profile portrait of Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States. This side bears the familiar national mottos of liberty and trust, alongside the 1940 date of manufacture. The design was created by Felix O. Schlag, whose work won a national competition to grace the five-cent denomination. On the reverse, the coin displays a detailed depiction of Monticello, Jefferson's famous Virginia estate. Below the neoclassical mansion, the inscriptions denote the face value of five cents and the issuing country, the United States of America. Above the dome of the estate, the traditional Latin motto meaning "Out of Many, One" is inscribed. A small "S" mint mark is positioned to the right of the building, indicating its origin at the San Francisco manufacturing facility.