# New Nickel Design Released **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 16, 2004, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-nickel-design-released/264696 "2004-09-16T15:12:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-nickel-design-released/264696/1 "2004-09-16T15:12:05Z")
[Article](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/040916/480/nyet26309161405) Wow, they managed to portray Jefferson as he’d appear today, over 240 years old. Seriously, was TJ embalmed when he died? Because if that doesn’t look like a corpse, then someone needs to inform the Kremlin. Also, if you’re going to feature the Pacific Ocean via a coastline shot, wouldn’t you want to have the ocean on the left, not the right? Sure, sure, it’s a southward view, but it just seems counterintuitive, doesn’t it? Munch - who fears change (ha!) ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-nickel-design-released/264696/2 "2004-09-16T15:22:08Z")
I like the Jefferson portrait. The shorleline thing doesn’t bother me conceptually – I’m reading it as, you’re in Oregon and looking down towards California – but the design reminds me of a park service badge or something. ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-nickel-design-released/264696/3 "2004-09-16T15:44:37Z")
I like it and agree with **twickster** the shoreline one looks like a DNS badge. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-nickel-design-released/264696/4 "2004-09-16T15:51:15Z")
I hate both of you. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-nickel-design-released/264696/5 "2004-09-16T15:57:51Z")
I think it’s ugly. Jefferson looks like a deer caught in headlights. I don’t mind the buffalo, but I don’t really like the pacific ocean scene. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-nickel-design-released/264696/6 "2004-09-16T15:58:37Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > I hate both of you. If I had a nickel for every time someone said that … 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-nickel-design-released/264696/7 "2004-09-16T16:07:22Z")
I like the closer profile shot but don’t care much for the reverse side’s choices. What’s wrong with Monticello? And please tell me that as the Father of the Declaration of Independence, that “Liberty” is specifically Jefferson related and not something that’s going to be on any other redesigned coins. It just seems tacky. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-nickel-design-released/264696/8 "2004-09-16T16:08:51Z")
I kinda like the idea of changing the reverse of coins regularly, but I hate the new obverse. That should remain the same. I feel half of your pain, **Munch**. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-nickel-design-released/264696/9 "2004-09-16T16:21:30Z")
This all misses the big question, which is: Why bother redesigning the freakin’ nickle? Why not the half-penny? Both are about as useful. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-nickel-design-released/264696/10 "2004-09-16T16:23:39Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > And please tell me that as the Father of the Declaration of Independence, that “Liberty” is specifically Jefferson related and not something that’s going to be on any other redesigned coins. It just seems tacky. I don’t have any on me, but I believe “Liberty” is already on the old nickels. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-nickel-design-released/264696/11 "2004-09-16T16:25:37Z")
Since I mostly use Canadian nickels, I’ll throw in my two cents worth. 😉 The buffalo is fine, and the southward view of the coast is no big problem. The portrait is kind of ugly though, and although I can’t really tell from any of the pics, it seems to me that he’s looking up at the “God” in the motto. Is this violating the separation of church and state? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-nickel-design-released/264696/12 "2004-09-16T16:31:15Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > I don’t have any on me, but I believe “Liberty” is already on the old nickels. I don’t have any either but I checked out a penny a second ago and it’s on the left side of the coin, behind Lincoln’s neck, so it’s likely it’s on the nickel as well. I’ve just never noticed before. Huh. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-nickel-design-released/264696/13 "2004-09-16T16:37:58Z")
I like the reverse side designs (especially the buffalo) but the portrait … dear God. Is that taken from a painting of Jefferson on his deathbead? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-nickel-design-released/264696/14 "2004-09-16T16:47:52Z")
On the nickel behind Jefferson’s head, above the date. On the quarter at the top. On the dime on the left, with FDR looking at it. Hmph. Who knew? ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-nickel-design-released/264696/15 "2004-09-16T16:57:04Z")
I like the design…but who cares? They’ll mostly end up in jars, and in the ubiquitous "take-a-penny/leave-a-penny bowls. What do you expect when something is as big as a nickel, yet has such an infinitesimally small value you’d need a hatful of them to buy a cup of coffee? ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-nickel-design-released/264696/16 "2004-09-16T17:11:28Z")
The close-up view of TJ is a bold design. We need to encourage bold design in our coinage. In all the world, perhaps Saudi Arabia is worse. Still the American stuff is pretty bad. It is had to beat the old ‘Indian Head’ design. That was classy and elegant. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-nickel-design-released/264696/17 "2004-09-16T18:00:38Z")
The word ‘Liberty’ there (according to the Washington Post) is in Jefferson’s own handwriting. So I have to give them that one. ---
**Author:** ![TwoTrouts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@TwoTrouts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoTrouts)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-nickel-design-released/264696/18 "2004-09-16T18:14:21Z")
Is it just me, or does the portrait of Jefferson remind you of [Bob Hope](http://www.bobhope.com/bob.htm)? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-nickel-design-released/264696/19 "2004-09-16T23:48:49Z")
Yes, Bob Hope through the peephole in your front door. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2004, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-nickel-design-released/264696/20 "2004-09-17T00:13:15Z")
Well, **Munch** , get to hatin’ some more, because I like it! I like the new off-center portrait idea, I like the “Liberty” in script, I like the idea of the different reverses, although I’ll admit I like the buffalo much better than the merit-badge-looking shoreline. All in all, a good change (ha! back to you). 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-nickel-design-released/264696.md?page=2)