• Since 1938, United States five-cent nickel has been made of 25 percent nickel and 75 percent copper. This coin is referred to as the Jefferson Nickel. This nickel features an engraving of Thomas Jefferson on the front, or "obverse" side and Monticello on the back, or "reverse" side. In 2004 and 2005, the reverse side of the coin featured different designs to commemorate the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark expedition. In 2006, the coin once again featured Monticello, though the engraving was crisper and more detailed, as U.S. Mint engraver John Mercanti restored the original Felix Schlag image.
  
  From 1942 to 1945, however, nickel metal was important to war munitions in Word World II, and as such an alternate recipe was needed to produce the nickel coin. The weight specification of five grams and the correct electrical resistance needed to be duplicated. The result was a nickel coin composed of 56 percent copper, 35 percent silver, and 9 percent manganese. This coin is referred to as the Jefferson Wartime Nickel.
  
  

Pre-Jefferson Five-Cent Nickels

• Several other five-cent nickels predate the 1938 Jefferson nickel. 1866 to 1867 saw the Shield Nickel, with rays emanating from the "5" engraved on the reverse. From 1867 to 1883, the Shield Nickel was produced without rays. Both versions sport a shield on the obverse side.
  
  The Liberty Head Nickel was produced from 1883 to 1912. Lady Liberty was engraved on the obverse with a "V" surrounded by cotton and corn on the reverse. There are two variations, originally without the word "cents" in 1883, then with the word engraved on the reverse side from 1883 until it was discontinued. The word "cents" was added because con artists would gold-plate these nickels and try to pass them off as five-dollar gold coins, which were about the same size.
  
  From 1913 to 1938, the U.S. saw the Buffalo, or Indian Head, Nickel. This nickel featured a portrait of a Native American head, a composite of three actual Native American chiefs, on obverse side. The reverse side featured an engraving of a buffalo.
  
  All versions of the Shield, Liberty and Buffalo Nickels were made of 25 percent nickel and 75 percent copper.
  
  

Three-Cent Nickels

• Due to a decrease in postage rates from five cents to three cents, and the need for a small-denomination coin, the three-cent coin was introduced and remained in production from 1851 to 1889. From 1851 to 1873, however, the coin was of silver and copper, thusly called a three-cent silver. Production of these coins dropped from 1863 through 1872, and in the last year only proofs were made.
  
  In 1865, the three-cent piece required a new recipe since the Civil War drained the supply of precious metals. A new three-cent coin was made from 25 percent nickel and 75 percent copper and the nickel was born.
  
  This nickel featured Lady Liberty on the obverse and a Roman numeral three (III) on the reverse.
  
  

The Other Five-Cent Coin

• The first five-cent coin was not referred to as a nickel but as a "half disme," pronounced "dime." This was a much smaller coin, of which there were 10 different versions. These coins were made from 89.24 percent silver and 10.76 percent copper from 1972 to 1837, when the recipe was rounded out to a 90/10 alloy and continued until 1873.