In the United States, the 5-cent coin, commonly known as a nickel, features Thomas Jefferson on its obverse (heads) side. He is the third President of the United States and the primary author of the Declaration of Independence.
The current design of the nickel, featuring a portrait of Thomas Jefferson, has been in use since 1938, although the specific portrait was updated in 2006. This design replaced the Buffalo nickel, which was in circulation from 1913 to 1938 and featured a Native American chief on the obverse and an American bison on the reverse. The reverse (tails) side of the current Jefferson nickel displays Monticello, Jefferson’s Virginia home.
