Rubbing Two Nickels Together

As a coin collector, I dig this:

In April of this year, the U.S. Mint announced that it would redesign the five-cent coin, with a new nickel to be released in 2004. Today, the Mint unveiled designs for not one new nickel, but two.

The new designs constitute the first change in the look of the nickel since the current version was introduced in 1938...
...
Like their predecessor, the new nickels will honor the nation's third president. As now, the fronts will display a likeness of Jefferson. The backs will be different.

The first of the new coins is due to be in circulation next spring.

The image on the back will depict the Jefferson Peace Medal, a medallion that was presented to Native American chiefs during treaty signings and other ceremonies. It features clasped hands and a peace pipe overlapping a hatchet.

The second nickel will be released next autumn.

Its back will feature an engraving of the keelboat that the Lewis and Clark expedition party used to explore the American West. (Besides engineering the Louisiana Purchase that made westward expansion possible, Jefferson was the chief sponsor of the "Voyage of Discovery" that made Lewis and Clark famous.)

One thing I don't like is the reverse image on the first coin. Sorry, but I can't behind using a representation of trinkets doled out to Native Americans as they signed treaties the US ultimately violated. To me it's symbolism that's just as bad as any Confederate Flags on pickup trucks.

Otherwise, I'm excited that we're getting new coin designs. I wish we changed them more often.

ntodd  ¶ 5:40 PM