The person featured on the United States 5-cent coin, commonly known as a nickel, is Thomas Jefferson , the third President of the United States. His image has been on the obverse (heads side) of the nickel since 1938. The current portrait, a forward-facing likeness of Jefferson, debuted in 2006 and was designed by Jamie Franki.
It’s interesting to note that the image on the nickel’s obverse has changed over time. From 1938 to 2004, it featured a profile of Jefferson, initially designed by Felix Schlag. In 2005, as part of the Westward Journey nickel series commemorating the Lewis and Clark expedition, a different profile of Jefferson, designed by Joe Fitzgerald, was used. The current forward-facing portrait by Jamie Franki, was introduced in 2006.
The reverse (tails side) of the Jefferson nickel features Monticello , Jefferson’s home in Virginia. This design, by Felix Schlag, has been on the nickel since 1938, with brief interruptions for the Westward Journey series in 2004 and 2005.
Who is the person on the 5 cent coin?
The person on the obverse (heads) of the nickel is Thomas Jefferson, our 3rd president. He’s been on the nickel since 1938, although the current portrait dates to 2006. The building on the reverse (tails) is called “Monticello.” Monticello was Jefferson’s home in Virginia, which he designed himself.