The 2006 United States nickel 5-cent piece is the first year of a new permanent design, after a period of changig it every 6 months, with commemoratives of the Louisiana Purchase.
It’s being billed as a forward-looking, smiling, Thos. Jefferson. To me he doesn’t look like he’s smiling, or even smirking… Mona Lisa has more of a smile. It is based on an 1800 portrait, and supposed to represent Jefferson looking forward, with optimism, to an age of imperia… err… westward expansionism.
I’d say he looks optimistic… or at the very least, slightly amused.
I think he looks like someone’s old auntie! Don’t care much for that portrait of Tom.
How DARE they put my great auntie on the nickel wit’out our permisssin!
Why on earth are they insisting that his portrait (which i agree it looks like someone’s old auntie 
) MUST be off center? Our currency should not be treated like some new pop art type piece. I think it looks ridiculous 
Perhaps its more the look of a man confident in his own financial security, what with all those slaves under him.
djm
Good grief. 
This coin is worth less than three pence and you guys are worrying about what’s on it? It doesn’t matter, they’re all gonna be down the back of the sofa in no time. 
I agree with every word of that.
I agree with every word of that.
Boy, you couldn’t be more wrong. He was broke for most of his life, his estate auctioned off at death with a proviso to let some of his descendants live there for a while. That’s why Monticello was in private hands for many years. He inherited most of the slaves from his wife’s father and feeding and clothing them was a big part of his debt, along with his lavish tastes in books, wine, food etc. He was a big spender. He also took care to train many (not all) of his slaves for occupations beyond slavery.
Not a fair jibe.
That famous portrait is one of the reasons he is called “The American Sphinx,” along with many contradictions of his life.
I do believe this post has turned political.
Perhaps, but not so much in the sense of current politics as a discussion of American history. Really, it’s not even so much political history as a slight veering off onto the personal life of one of the Founding Fathers.
It’s not the value of the piece as much as the history.
TJ was one of the most brilliant political minds to ever grace the planet. If he had human foibles, (such as a penchant for nubile nubian women), it was because he was human.
Aw not really. .
Thanks bunches. That’s how I look when I could swear I’m smiling. Seriously. People will say, “C’mon, smile (don’t you just HATE that?),” and I’ll reply, “But I am smiling. Can’t you tell?” :roll:
I kinda like the new design. Nice, artistic composition going on there.
you are such a trouble maker… 
Hey, watch it, or I’ll give you such a haiku…
Interesting. I understand George Washington was in a similar situation. He couldn’t free the slaves at Mount Vernon if he wanted to…
They belonged to his wife via her father before she married George. So under law, he wouldn’t own them until she died.
Dale, Dale! What is the name for a fear of haiku?
Oh, and, ah, how does one aquire it? 
smiling?
My son used to look like that when he had gas…