Jefferson Nickels Westward Journey 2004-2005

About This Series

Commemorating the bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark expedition and the Louisiana Purchase, the Westward Journey nickel program broke six decades of design continuity by replacing Felix Schlag's familiar Monticello reverse with four rotating designs across 2004-2005. The 2004 reverses depicted the Peace Medal — based on the actual silver peace medals Jefferson commissioned for presentation to Native American leaders — and the keelboat that carried the Corps of Discovery up the Missouri River. In 2005, Norman Nemeth's American Bison and Joe Fitzgerald's Ocean in View designs continued the narrative, with the latter commemorating Clark's famous journal entry upon reaching the Pacific. Most significantly, the 2005 obverse debuted Fitzgerald's bold new forward-facing Jefferson portrait, replacing Schlag's left-facing profile for the first time since 1938. Struck in the standard 75% copper, 25% nickel composition at 21.2mm diameter, these coins entered general circulation by the hundreds of millions, making them immediately accessible to collectors. The Westward Journey program demonstrated how circulating coinage could serve as a vehicle for historical education and narrative storytelling, and its success influenced subsequent rotating design programs on the cent (2009 bicentennial) and other denominations.