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February 20, 2024
Nickels and Dimes: History and Current Status
The Secretary of the Treasury, through the U.S. Mint, is
Jefferson’s home in Virginia, was put on the reverse.
statutorily authorized to issue specific circulating coin
Figure 2 shows examples of the Buffalo and
denominations (31 U.S.C. §5112). Currently, the United
Jefferson/Monticello nickels issued between 1913 and
States has six circulating coin denominations—dollar, half
2003.
dollar, quarter dollar, dime, nickel, and penny. Unlike
today’s circulating coins, initial coin designs did not feature
Figure 2. Selected Images of Buffalo and
images of U.S. Presidents; rather, they often featured
Jefferson/Monticello Nickels
allegorical images of Liberty and other symbols of the
United States. Congress legislatively prescribes the design
of circulating coins. Congress could provide future
authority to redesign either the nickel or the dime, although
no legislation to that effect has been recently introduced.
Nickel Designs
The Coinage Act of 1792 authorized the first 5-cent coin.
They were called half-dimes and were made of silver. The
first half-dime was issued in 1794, and until 1913 half-
dimes featured an image of Liberty on the obverse. Figure 1 shows several historical half-dimes, including obverses of
Liberty with “flowing hair” (1794) and Liberty with a
“draped bust” (1796). On the reverse, early half-dimes often
featured a wreath around the coin’s denomination.
Figure 1. Selected Early American Half-Dimes
Source: U.S. Mint, “The History of U.S. Circulating Coins.”
For 2004 and 2005, Congress authorized the redesign of the
nickel to commemorate the bicentennials of the Louisiana
Purchase and the Lewis and Clark expedition. The
Westward Journey nickels featured President Jefferson on
the obverse and four different images on the reverse. The
four designs (shown in Figure 3) featured a depiction of the
1801 Jefferson Peace Medal, which is alternatively known
as the Jefferson Indian Peace Medal; a keelboat; the
American bison; and a view of the ocean from the Oregon
coast.
Figure 3. Westward Journey Nickle Reverse
Source: U.S. Mint, “The History of U.S. Circulating Coins,”
https://www.usmint.gov/learn/history/us-circulating-coins.
In 1866, Congress authorized the nickel, composed of
copper and nickel. Between 1866 and 1873, the U.S. Mint
issued both half-dimes and nickels. In 1913, the nickel’s
Source: U.S. Mint. “Westward Journey Nickel Series,” at
obverse changed to the image of a Native American and the
https://www.usmint.gov/learn/coin-and-medal-programs/westward-
reverse featured the buffalo. Buffalo nickels were issued
journey-nickel-series.
until 1938, when President Thomas Jefferson was placed on
the nickel’s obverse and an image of Monticello, President
https://crsreports.congress.gov
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Nickels and Dimes: History and Current Status
Dime Designs
The Coinage Act of 1792 authorized the first dime (10-cent
In 1946, shortly after he died, the U.S. Mint placed
coin). Early dimes were made of silver and featured Liberty
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on the dime’s obverse.
on the obverse and a wreath around the coin’s
A torch with an olive branch to its left and an oak branch on
denomination on the reverse. The U.S. Mint added reeded
the right are featured on the reverse. The choice of
edges to the dime in the 1790s to discourage holders from
President Roosevelt for the dime’s obverse reflected his
filing off pieces of the dime to sell the silver. Figure 4
support of the March of Dimes, a program that raised funds
shows early examples of the dime.
to find a cure for polio, a disease that President Roosevelt
contracted in his late 30s. Figure 6 shows the current
Figure 4. Early Examples of Dimes
Roosevelt dime.
Figure 6. Roosevelt Dime
Source: U.S. Mint, “Dime,” at https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-
medal-programs/circulating-coins/dime.
For more information on other circulating coins, see CRS In
Source: U.S. Mint, “The History of U.S. Circulating Coins.”
Focus IF12293, Penny: History and Current Status; CRS In
Focus IF11394, Quarter and Half Dollar Coins: History
Since the early 1900s, the U.S. Mint has used two designs
and Current Status; CRS In Focus IF11190, U.S. Dollar
for the dime’s obverse. From 1916 to 1945, the obverse
Coins: History and Current Status; and CRS In Focus
showed an image of Liberty with wings on her head, and
IF11773, Redesigning Circulating Quarters, Half Dollars,
the reverse had a fasces, a symbol of authority from
and Dollar Coins: Current and Future Designs. For more
antiquity, wrapped by an olive branch. These dimes were
information on the role of Congress for circulation coin
often called “Mercury Dimes.” In 2016, the U.S. Mint
design, see CRS In Focus IF10533, Congressional
issued a Mercury Dime centennial gold coin to celebrate the
Involvement in the Design of Circulating Coins.
100th anniversary of the coin. The Mercury Dime, however,
was not reissued as a circulating coin. Figure 5 shows the
original Mercury Dime.
Jacob R. Straus, Specialist on the Congress
Figure 5. Mercury Dime, 1916-1945
IF12593
Source: U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, “Mercury Dime,” at
https://www.cfa.gov/about-cfa/design-topics/coins-medals/mercury-
dime.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Nickels and Dimes: History and Current Status
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
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