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Jefferson nickel, Monticello reverse

Felix Schlag's Jefferson and Monticello.

What our records show

For 1938–2003, the years this site covers for this design, our table has production figures for 45 of 66 years; 21 years are not published in the sources we checked (1966, 1971, 1980–1998).
Facilities in the record, with the mark their coins carried: Philadelphia: no mint mark (1938–1941), then P on the silver-alloy coins only (1942), then P (1943–1945), then no mint mark (1946–1965, 1972–1979), then P (1999–2003); Denver: D (1938–1964), then no mint mark (1965, 1967), then D (1968–1970, 1972–1979, 1999–2003); San Francisco: S (1938–1949, 1951–1954), then no mint mark (1965, 1967), then mark not stated in the report (1968–1970).
What the figures count: coins struck each calendar year, proofs included (the Mint's 1792-1965 pamphlet); coins bearing the date (1964 and 1965); coins struck each calendar year for circulation, proofs counted separately (annual reports); circulating production each calendar year, without proof or uncirculated-set coins (archived Mint production pages).
1938: the Mint's figure covers more than one design. Those rows are shaded.
From October 1942 through 1945 the nickel was 35% silver and Philadelphia's coins carried a P above the dome. The 1942 figures mix both alloys.

“Jefferson took his place on the obverse of the nickel in 1938 with Monticello, his Virginia home, on the reverse. These designs, both by Felix Schlag, continued until 2003.”
U.S. Mint, Nickel page (archived 2026-03-25), Background

“56 copper, 35 silver, 9 manganese.”
U.S. Mint, Domestic and Foreign Coins Manufactured by Mints of the United States, 1792-1965, PDF p. 13 (printed p. 9), table C6

“Coined under provisions of act of Mar. 27, 1942, as amended by act of Dec. 28, 1945. Coinage extended from Oct. 1, 1942 until expiration of authority Dec. 31, 1945.”
U.S. Mint, Domestic and Foreign Coins Manufactured by Mints of the United States, 1792-1965, PDF p. 13 (printed p. 9), table C6, footnote 2

“When nickel was removed from five-cent coins during World War II, the “P” mint mark first appeared on coins produced in Philadelphia. The mark’s position also moved from the right of Monticello to above the dome to indicate the new metal composition.”
U.S. Mint, Mint Marks page (archived 2026-09-20), page text

Metal, weight and size, where a Mint table dates it

Specifications by coin year, from dated Mint tables
Coin years	Specification and source
1938–1941	Metal: 75% copper, 25% nickel · Weight: 5.00 g (our conversion from the Mint's standard weight of 77.16 grains) Source: U.S. Mint, Domestic and Foreign Coins Manufactured by Mints of the United States, 1792-1965, PDF p. 13 (printed p. 9), table C6: 77.16 grains. Covers the standard weight and composition in the Mint's minor-coinage table, which lists coinage to Dec. 31, 1965 (pamphlet table C6).
1942	Metal: two alloys: 75% copper, 25% nickel until the wartime alloy of 56% copper, 35% silver, 9% manganese began on Oct. 1, 1942. Philadelphia's P appears only on the silver-alloy coins. Both weigh 77.16 grains · Weight: 5.00 g (our conversion from the Mint's standard weight of 77.16 grains) Source: U.S. Mint, Domestic and Foreign Coins Manufactured by Mints of the United States, 1792-1965, PDF p. 13 (printed p. 9), table C6 and footnote 2; PDF p. 4, Location of the Mints. Covers the standard weight and composition in the Mint's minor-coinage table, which lists coinage to Dec. 31, 1965 (pamphlet table C6).
1943–1945	Metal: 56% copper, 35% silver, 9% manganese · Weight: 5.00 g (our conversion from the Mint's standard weight of 77.16 grains) Silver: 1.75 g (our calculation: 5 g (converted from 77.16 grains) × 35% silver); 0.0563 troy oz (our conversion: grams ÷ 31.1035, rounded to 4 places). Metal weight, not a value. Source: U.S. Mint, Domestic and Foreign Coins Manufactured by Mints of the United States, 1792-1965, PDF p. 13 (printed p. 9), table C6 and footnote 2: 77.16 grains. Covers the standard weight and composition in the Mint's minor-coinage table, which lists coinage to Dec. 31, 1965 (pamphlet table C6).
1946–1963	Metal: 75% copper, 25% nickel · Weight: 5.00 g (our conversion from the Mint's standard weight of 77.16 grains) Source: U.S. Mint, Domestic and Foreign Coins Manufactured by Mints of the United States, 1792-1965, PDF p. 13 (printed p. 9), table C6: 77.16 grains. Covers the standard weight and composition in the Mint's minor-coinage table, which lists coinage to Dec. 31, 1965 (pamphlet table C6).
1964	Metal: 75% copper, 25% nickel · Weight: 5 g · Diameter: 21.21 mm Source: Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal 1965, PDF p. 50, Table 14 (coins manufactured during calendar year 1964 and fiscal year 1965): 5 g, .835 in. Covers coins manufactured during calendar year 1964 (fiscal 1965 annual report, Table 14).
1965–1967	No specification dated to these years in the sources we checked.
1968–1970	Metal: 75% copper, 25% nickel · Weight: 5 g · Diameter: 21.21 mm Sources: Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal 1968, PDF p. 62 (printed p. 53), Table 1B; Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal 1969, PDF p. 34 (printed p. 23), Table 1B; Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal 1970, PDF p. 36 (printed p. 22), Table 5; Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal 1971, PDF p. 254 (printed p. 242), Table LVII. Covers the coins each annual report lists as currently manufactured in its fiscal year (from fiscal 1977, October to September; before that, July to June). We match each report to the coin year of the same number; the fiscal 1971 report's table is for coins made in calendar 1970.
1971–1972	No specification dated to these years in the sources we checked.
1973–1980	Metal: 75% copper, 25% nickel · Weight: 5 g · Diameter: 21.21 mm Sources: Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal 1973, PDF p. 66 (printed p. 54), Table 4; Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal 1974, PDF p. 84 (printed p. 72), Table 4; Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal 1975, PDF p. 79 (printed p. 67), Table 4; Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal 1976, PDF p. 70 (printed p. 58), Table 5; Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal 1977, PDF p. 59 (printed p. 47), Table 4; Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal 1978, PDF p. 59 (printed p. 47), Table 4; Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal 1979, PDF p. 55 (printed p. 43), Table 4; Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal 1980, PDF p. 40 (printed p. 28), Table 4. Covers the coins each annual report lists as currently manufactured in its fiscal year (from fiscal 1977, October to September; before that, July to June). We match each report to the coin year of the same number; the fiscal 1971 report's table is for coins made in calendar 1970.
1981–2003	No specification dated to these years in the sources we checked.

Each row covers only the coin years its source establishes. Proof and collector versions can differ and aren't covered.

Current Mint specification (undated; applicability to earlier years not established)

Metal: cupro-nickel (25% nickel, balance copper) · Weight: 5 g · Diameter: 21.21 mm

Source: U.S. Mint, Coin Specifications page (archived October 9, 2024; the page says its content was last updated April 28, 2022). The page doesn't say which years' coins it describes.

How many were made

Jefferson nickel, Monticello reverse: coins by year and facility
Year	Philadelphia	Denver	San Francisco	What the figure counts, and notes	Source (see list below)
1938	19,515,365 no mint mark	12,396,000 D	4,105,000 S	All nickel designs of 1938 combined; a figure for this design alone isn't available here. struck that calendar year (includes proofs)	1, 2, 3
1939	120,627,535 no mint mark	3,514,000 D	6,630,000 S	struck that calendar year (includes proofs)	1, 2, 3
1940	176,499,158 no mint mark	43,540,000 D	39,690,000 S	struck that calendar year (includes proofs)	1, 2, 3
1941	203,283,720 no mint mark	53,432,000 D	43,445,000 S	struck that calendar year (includes proofs)	1, 2, 3
1942	107,719,200 P on the silver-alloy coins only	13,938,000 D	32,900,000 S	struck that calendar year (includes proofs) Includes both the regular copper-nickel coins and the wartime silver alloy, which began October 1, 1942; the Mint's record doesn't split 1942 by alloy.	1, 2, 3
1943	271,165,000 P	15,294,000 D	104,060,000 S	struck that calendar year (includes proofs)	1, 2, 3
1944	119,150,000 P	32,309,000 D	21,640,000 S	struck that calendar year (includes proofs)	1, 2, 3
1945	119,408,100 P	37,158,000 D	58,939,000 S	struck that calendar year (includes proofs)	1, 2, 3
1946	161,116,000 no mint mark	45,292,200 D	13,560,000 S	struck that calendar year (includes proofs)	1, 2, 3
1947	95,000,000 no mint mark	37,822,000 D	24,720,000 S	struck that calendar year (includes proofs)	1, 2, 3
1948	89,348,000 no mint mark	44,734,000 D	11,300,000 S	struck that calendar year (includes proofs)	1, 2, 3
1949	60,652,000 no mint mark	36,498,000 D	9,716,000 S	struck that calendar year (includes proofs)	1, 2, 3
1950	9,847,386 no mint mark	2,630,030 D	none in this row's coverage	struck that calendar year (includes proofs) – : the Mint's coinage record shows none struck at that facility that year.	1, 2
1951	28,609,500 no mint mark	20,460,000 D	7,776,000 S	struck that calendar year (includes proofs)	1, 2, 3
1952	64,069,980 no mint mark	30,638,000 D	20,572,000 S	struck that calendar year (includes proofs)	1, 2, 3
1953	46,772,800 no mint mark	59,878,600 D	19,210,900 S	struck that calendar year (includes proofs)	1, 2, 3
1954	47,917,350 no mint mark	117,136,560 D	29,384,000 S	struck that calendar year (includes proofs)	1, 2, 3
1955	8,266,200 no mint mark	74,464,100 D	none in this row's coverage	struck that calendar year (includes proofs) – : the Mint's coinage record shows none struck at that facility that year.	1, 2
1956	35,885,384 no mint mark	67,222,940 D	none in this row's coverage	struck that calendar year (includes proofs) – : the Mint's coinage record shows none struck at that facility that year.	1, 2
1957	39,655,952 no mint mark	136,828,900 D	none in this row's coverage	struck that calendar year (includes proofs) – : the Mint's coinage record shows none struck at that facility that year.	1, 2
1958	17,963,652 no mint mark	168,249,120 D	none in this row's coverage	struck that calendar year (includes proofs) – : the Mint's coinage record shows none struck at that facility that year.	1, 2
1959	28,397,291 no mint mark	160,738,240 D	none in this row's coverage	struck that calendar year (includes proofs) – : the Mint's coinage record shows none struck at that facility that year.	1, 2
1960	57,107,602 no mint mark	192,582,180 D	none in this row's coverage	struck that calendar year (includes proofs) – : the Mint's coinage record shows none struck at that facility that year.	1, 2
1961	76,668,244 no mint mark	229,342,760 D	none in this row's coverage	struck that calendar year (includes proofs) – : the Mint's coinage record shows none struck at that facility that year.	1, 2
1962	100,602,019 no mint mark	280,195,720 D	none in this row's coverage	struck that calendar year (includes proofs) – : the Mint's coinage record shows none struck at that facility that year.	1, 2
1963	178,851,645 no mint mark	276,829,460 D	none in this row's coverage	struck that calendar year (includes proofs) – : the Mint's coinage record shows none struck at that facility that year.	1, 2
1964	1,028,622,762 no mint mark	1,787,297,160 D	none in this row's coverage	coins bearing this date Counts coins bearing the date 1964, struck from January 1964 into 1966. “Coins bearing the 1964 date were manufactured from Jan. 1964 through Apr. 1966, inclusive.” (Mint report) Philadelphia's figure includes 3,950,762 proof coins. – : the Mint's record of coins bearing this date shows none from that facility.	4
1965	12,440,000 no mint mark	82,291,380 no mint mark	41,400,000 no mint mark	coins bearing this date Counts coins bearing the date 1965. “Coins bearing the 1965 date were manufactured from Aug. 1965 through July 1966, inclusive. Beginning on Aug. 1, 1966, the first coins to bear the date "1966" will be manufactured.” (Mint report) San Francisco's figure includes special mint set coins.	5
1966	Not published in the sources we checked. No calendar-year or dated table for 1966 in the reports we could download.
1967	none in this row's coverage	75,993,800 no mint mark	31,332,000 no mint mark	struck that calendar year for circulation – : none from that facility in the report's general-circulation table. Proof and collector coins aren't in that table, so a dash doesn't mean the facility made no coins.	6
1968	none in this row's coverage	91,227,880 D	100,396,001 mark not stated in the report	struck that calendar year for circulation – : none from that facility in the report's general-circulation table. Proof and collector coins aren't in that table, so a dash doesn't mean the facility made no coins.	7
1969	none in this row's coverage	202,807,500 D	120,164,000 mark not stated in the report	struck that calendar year for circulation – : none from that facility in the report's general-circulation table. Proof and collector coins aren't in that table, so a dash doesn't mean the facility made no coins.	8
1970	none in this row's coverage	515,485,380 D	238,832,004 mark not stated in the report	struck that calendar year for circulation – : none from that facility in the report's general-circulation table. Proof and collector coins aren't in that table, so a dash doesn't mean the facility made no coins.	9
1971	Not published in the sources we checked. The fiscal 1972 report, which would hold the 1971 calendar-year table, is not in the FRASER files we could download.
1972	202,036,000 no mint mark	351,694,600 D	none in this row's coverage	struck that calendar year for circulation – : none from that facility in the report's general-circulation table. Proof and collector coins aren't in that table, so a dash doesn't mean the facility made no coins.	10
1973	384,396,000 no mint mark	261,405,400 D	none in this row's coverage	struck that calendar year for circulation – : none from that facility in the report's general-circulation table. Proof and collector coins aren't in that table, so a dash doesn't mean the facility made no coins.	11
1974	601,752,000 no mint mark	277,373,000 D	none in this row's coverage	struck that calendar year for circulation – : none from that facility in the report's general-circulation table. Proof and collector coins aren't in that table, so a dash doesn't mean the facility made no coins.	12
1975	181,772,000 no mint mark	401,875,300 D	none in this row's coverage	struck that calendar year for circulation – : none from that facility in the report's general-circulation table. Proof and collector coins aren't in that table, so a dash doesn't mean the facility made no coins.	13
1976	367,124,000 no mint mark	563,964,147 D	none in this row's coverage	struck that calendar year for circulation – : none from that facility in the report's general-circulation table. Proof and collector coins aren't in that table, so a dash doesn't mean the facility made no coins.	14
1977	585,376,000 no mint mark	297,313,472 D	none in this row's coverage	struck that calendar year for circulation – : none from that facility in the report's general-circulation table. Proof and collector coins aren't in that table, so a dash doesn't mean the facility made no coins.	15
1978	391,308,000 no mint mark	313,092,780 D	none in this row's coverage	struck that calendar year for circulation – : none from that facility in the report's general-circulation table. Proof and collector coins aren't in that table, so a dash doesn't mean the facility made no coins.	16
1979	463,188,000 no mint mark	325,867,672 D	none in this row's coverage	struck that calendar year for circulation – : none from that facility in the report's general-circulation table. Proof and collector coins aren't in that table, so a dash doesn't mean the facility made no coins.	17
1980–1998	Not published in the sources we checked. No calendar-year or dated counts in the sources we checked. The annual reports we could read for fiscal 1982 to 1988, 1990 and 1992 count coins manufactured by fiscal year, not by calendar year or date, so their figures can't be matched to the date on a coin; the text of the fiscal 1997 and 1999 reports has no calendar-year coin table either. The other reports for these years were image-only scans we didn't transcribe, or failed to download.
1999	1,212,000,000 P	1,066,720,000 D	none in this row's coverage	circulating production that calendar year – : the Mint's production pages cover circulating coins from Denver and Philadelphia only; proof and collector coins made elsewhere aren't shown.	18
2000	846,240,000 P	1,509,520,000 D	none in this row's coverage	circulating production that calendar year – : the Mint's production pages cover circulating coins from Denver and Philadelphia only; proof and collector coins made elsewhere aren't shown.	19
2001	675,704,000 P	627,680,000 D	none in this row's coverage	circulating production that calendar year – : the Mint's production pages cover circulating coins from Denver and Philadelphia only; proof and collector coins made elsewhere aren't shown.	20
2002	539,280,000 P	691,200,000 D	none in this row's coverage	circulating production that calendar year – : the Mint's production pages cover circulating coins from Denver and Philadelphia only; proof and collector coins made elsewhere aren't shown.	21
2003	441,840,000 P	383,040,000 D	none in this row's coverage	circulating production that calendar year – : the Mint's production pages cover circulating coins from Denver and Philadelphia only; proof and collector coins made elsewhere aren't shown.	22

Mint pamphlet 1792-1965, PDF pp. 48 and 50 (printed pp. 44 and 46), table C21
Mint pamphlet 1792-1965, PDF p. 56 (printed p. 52), table C29
Mint pamphlet 1792-1965, PDF p. 63 (printed p. 59), table C35
Mint annual report, FRASER file 1967, PDF p. 145 (printed p. 135), table C50
Mint annual report, FRASER file 1967, PDF p. 151, table C56
Mint annual report, fiscal 1968, PDF p. 75, U.S. coins manufactured, calendar year 1967
Mint annual report, fiscal 1969, PDF p. 48, U.S. coins manufactured, calendar year 1968
Mint annual report, fiscal 1970, PDF p. 56, U.S. coins manufactured, calendar year 1969
Mint annual report, fiscal 1971, PDF p. 50, U.S. coins manufactured, calendar year 1970
Mint annual report, fiscal 1973, PDF p. 87, U.S. coins manufactured, calendar year 1972
Mint annual report, fiscal 1974, PDF p. 108, U.S. coins manufactured, calendar year 1973
Mint annual report, fiscal 1975, PDF p. 104, U.S. coins manufactured, calendar year 1974
Mint annual report, fiscal 1976, PDF p. 107, U.S. coins manufactured, calendar year 1975
Mint annual report, fiscal 1977, PDF p. 87, U.S. coins manufactured, calendar year 1976
Mint annual report, fiscal 1978, PDF p. 87, U.S. coins manufactured, calendar year 1977
Mint annual report, fiscal 1979, PDF p. 83, U.S. coins manufactured, calendar year 1978
Mint annual report, fiscal 1980, PDF p. 68, U.S. coins manufactured, calendar year 1979
Mint production page, 1999 (archived), January 1999 through December 1999
Mint production page, 2000 (archived), January 2000 through December 2000
Mint production page, 2001 (archived), January 2001 through December 2001
Mint production page, 2002 (archived), January 2002 through December 2002
Mint production page, 2003 (archived), January 2003 through December 2003

Where the mint mark is

“When nickel was removed from five-cent coins during World War II, the “P” mint mark first appeared on coins produced in Philadelphia. The mark’s position also moved from the right of Monticello to above the dome to indicate the new metal composition.” (U.S. Mint)

“So, no mint marks appeared on circulating coins from 1965 to 1967.” (U.S. Mint) (This applies to the standard circulating coins dated 1965 to 1967.)

“When mint marks returned in 1968, they were placed on the obverse, after having previously been on the reverse of coins.” (U.S. Mint)

Sources

Domestic and Foreign Coins Manufactured by Mints of the United States, 1792-1965. Bureau of the Mint, U.S. Treasury Department (Eva Adams, Director), hosted by FRASER, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Annual Report of the Director of the Mint (FRASER file usmint_1967_annual-report.pdf). Bureau of the Mint, hosted by FRASER, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal year ended June 30, 1968. Bureau of the Mint, hosted by FRASER, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal year ended June 30, 1969. Bureau of the Mint, hosted by FRASER, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal year ended June 30, 1970. Bureau of the Mint, hosted by FRASER, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal year ended June 30, 1971. Bureau of the Mint, hosted by FRASER, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal year ended June 30, 1973. Bureau of the Mint, hosted by FRASER, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal year ended June 30, 1974. Bureau of the Mint, hosted by FRASER, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal year ended June 30, 1975. Bureau of the Mint, hosted by FRASER, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal year ended June 30, 1976 and transition quarter. Bureau of the Mint, hosted by FRASER, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal year ended September 30, 1977. Bureau of the Mint, hosted by FRASER, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal year ended September 30, 1978. Bureau of the Mint, hosted by FRASER, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal year ended September 30, 1979. Bureau of the Mint, hosted by FRASER, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal year ended September 30, 1980. Bureau of the Mint, hosted by FRASER, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Coin Production Figures (U.S. Mint, 1999-2012 site). United States Mint (archived copy).
Nickel (U.S. Mint, Circulating Coins). United States Mint (archived copy).
Mint Marks (U.S. Mint, Collecting Basics). United States Mint (archived copy).
Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, fiscal year ended June 30, 1965. Bureau of the Mint, hosted by FRASER, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Coin Specifications (U.S. Mint). United States Mint (archived copy).

Figures and quotes checked against their sources on October 12, 2026.