Dan's 21st Century Proof Type Set
5C JEFFERSON WESTWARD JOURNEY (2004-2005)

Owner Comments:

2005 5C S JEFFERSON NICKEL - PF 70 - BISON (PORTRAIT LABEL)

As part of the Westward Journey commemorative program recognizing the bicentennial of the Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clark's subsequent Expedition into America's interior, the U. S. Mint produced four short-lived variants of the Jefferson Nickel during 2004-05. A new, profile bust of Jefferson appears on the obverse of both 2005 nickels. This was designed by Joe Fitzgerald and modeled for coinage by the Mint's Don Everhart. The legend "LIBERTY" on the obverse was traced from Jefferson's handwriting in drafting the Declaration of Independence; as the word is never capitalized in that document, Fitzgerald borrowed a capital L from Jefferson's other writings. The reverse for the first half of the year depicted an American bison, reminiscent of the Buffalo nickels of 1913-38, a design by Jamie Franki.