2004-P Jefferson Nickel GEM BU Peace Medal Design from Westward Journey Series

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The US Mint struck four new nickels for circulation in 2004 and 2005 honoring the 200 year anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase and the journey of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Our third President Thomas Jefferson, sent the pair westward in 1804 to explore the new territory.

Four new reverse designs were created to honor the expedition and new frontier. The first design is the Louisiana Purchase Peace Medal, which includes imagery from the Indian Peace Medals carried by Lewis and Clark on their journey. The second design is the Keelboat, which is an image of the 55 foot boat the pair used to navigate the rivers of the Louisiana Purchase on their way towards the Pacific Ocean. The third design is the American Bison, which captures the beauty of the bison and also symbolizes the wildlife Lewis and Clark found on their journey. It also is a symbol to honor the American Indians the pair encountered whose lives and culture focused so much on the natural world. The fourth design is "Ocean in View!", a view of the Pacific Ocean as it may have appeared to the expedition after the long journey. Also in the image is a passage from Clark's journal made on November 7,1803: "Ocean in view! O! The joy!".

For the 2004 nickels the obverse of the coin remained the same as earlier years, which is the profile portrait of Jefferson by Felix Schlag. In 2005 the nickels have a new obverse featuring a new portrait of Jefferson based on the 1789 bust made by French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon and paintings by Gilbert Stuart and Rembrandt Peale. The obverse also features an inscription of the word "Liberty" based on Jefferson's handwriting. The new obverse was designed by US Mint artist Joe Fitzgerald and sculpted by US Mint sculptor-engraver Don Everhart.

In 2006 the US Mint completed the Westward Journey Nickel Series with its Return to Monticello nickel. The obverse features a forward facing portrait of Jefferson based on a painting by Rembrandt Peale. Artist Jamie Franki, who also designed the 2005 American Bison reverse, designed the new portrait of Jefferson and Donna Weaver, US Mint sculptor-engraver, sculpted it. The reverse revisits Jefferson's home with an updated restored version of Felix Schlag's design completed by US Mint sculptor-engraver John Mercanti.

The Jefferson Nickel design was selected through a mint sponsored contest in 1938, and the winning design came from Felix Schlag.  Schlag's initials were added underneath the bust in 1966.  The obverse of the Jefferson Nickel features a left facing profile of Jefferson, adapted from a marble bust by sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon, as well as the motto IN GOD WE TRUST.  The reverse features Jefferson's home Monticello.  Apart from a small change to the stairs of Monticello in 1939, the design was unchanged from 1938 through 2003.  The Jefferson Nickel is one of the most common designs in circulation because of the long period of mintage combined with the hardness of nickel, making it possible to still find coins from the 1940s and 1950s still in circulation.