A New Nickel Design Debuts in 1938
In 1938, the United States Mint introduced the Jefferson nickel, bringing an end to the Buffalo nickel after a 25-year production run. The new five-cent piece honored Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States and a Founding Father.
The redesign followed a public competition held in 1937. The Treasury Department opened the contest to “all American sculptors.” German-born American artist Felix Oscar Schlag won the competition and received a $1,000 award for his submission.
Felix Schlag’s Winning Design
Schlag’s obverse design features a left-facing portrait of Jefferson. Art historian Cornelius Vermeule later observed that the portrait closely resembles Jean-Antoine Houdon’s 1789 bust of Jefferson. The essential elements of this obverse design remained in use on the Jefferson nickel for 66 years.
Schlag’s original reverse design did not receive the same longevity. His initial concept depicted Monticello in a three-quarter perspective, an approach that emphasized architectural depth and visual interest. The Treasury Department rejected this version and requested revisions. The most significant change replaced the angled view with a flat, head-on depiction of Monticello. That revised reverse became standard for circulation-strike Jefferson nickels and remains in use today, although commemorative issues have featured alternative reverse designs.
Under the terms of the design competition, Schlag did not receive additional compensation for making these changes.
The 1938 Jefferson Nickel in Production
The Philadelphia Mint struck 19,496,000 Jefferson nickels dated 1938. Despite this substantial mintage, the coins did not enter circulation until late in the year.
Because 1938 marked the first year of issue for a new coin design, many people saved examples from circulation. Some collectors actively accumulated rolls of the new nickels. As a result, the 1938 Jefferson nickel remains relatively common in most grades, though it no longer appears in everyday circulation.
Strike Characteristics and Production Quality
The United States Mint produced the 1938 Jefferson nickel with strike quality that is best described as inconsistent. While examples with strong detail do exist, fully struck coins are not the norm.
Many 1938 nickels were struck from fresh hubs, which helped preserve detail in early production. Even so, the true scarcity of consistently well-struck Jefferson nickels would not become widely apparent until later decades, particularly during the 1950s and 1960s.
Full Steps and Strike Detail
Collectors and researchers often evaluate Jefferson nickels based on the presence of Full Steps on the reverse design.
The steps appear between the stylobate— the flat pavement supporting the four front columns of Monticello— and the foundation block at the base of the structure. Several factors influence whether the steps remain fully defined. These include die condition, striking pressure, and incidental contact with other coins after striking.
Because of these variables, Full Steps examples represent a subset of overall production rather than the standard appearance for the issue.
Design Details
Obverse
The obverse shows a left-facing bust of Thomas Jefferson, complete with a colonial-era pigtail. The portrait closely resembles Houdon’s 1789 bust in both proportion and detail. Jefferson’s head nearly touches the rim, while a slight truncation appears at the lower edge where his left shoulder meets the coin’s border.
The motto IN GOD WE TRUST arcs clockwise along the left side of the coin, beginning near Jefferson’s chest and extending toward his hairline. Although this phrase became the official national motto in 1956, it had appeared on United States coinage long before that designation.
On the right side, the inscriptions LIBERTY and the date 1938 run clockwise behind Jefferson’s profile. A small five-pointed star separates the two inscriptions.
Reverse
The reverse features a frontal view of Monticello, Jefferson’s home near Charlottesville, Virginia. Jefferson designed the building himself, drawing inspiration from neoclassical architecture and principles of the Italian Renaissance. The name “Monticello” comes from Old Italian and translates to “mound” or “little mountain.”
Although the flattened rendering reduces the sense of depth found in Schlag’s original concept, well-struck examples still display notable detail in the steps, portico, and columns. The octagonal shape of the dome remains visible despite the simplified perspective.
At the top of the reverse appears the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM. The inscription MONTICELLO, added at the Mint’s direction, appears directly beneath the building. Below that, FIVE CENTS forms a gentle curve, while UNITED STATES OF AMERICA runs counterclockwise along the lower rim.
Edge
The edge of the 1938 Jefferson nickel is plain, without reeding or lettering.
The Designer: Felix Schlag
Felix Schlag was born in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1891. He received his formal artistic training at the Munich University of Fine Arts before immigrating to the United States in 1929.
Schlag died in 1974. Although he won numerous art competitions and commissions during his career, the Jefferson nickel remains his only coin design.
Coin Specifications
- Country: United States of America
- Year of Issue: 1938
- Denomination: Five Cents (USD)
- Mint Mark: None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage: 19,496,000
- Alloy: 75% Copper, 25% Nickel
- Weight: 5.00 grams
- Diameter: 21.21 mm
- Edge: Plain
- Obverse Designer: Felix Schlag
- Reverse Designer: Felix Schlag
- Quality: Uncirculated, Proof
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