Westward Journey Nickel Values & Mintages
The Westward Journey series marked the bicentennial of the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark Expedition with four special reverses: the Peace Medal and the Keelboat in 2004, then the American Bison and "Ocean in View!" in 2005.
- Years
- 2004–2005
- Issues listed
- 12
- Lowest mintage
- 344.9M
- Diameter
- 21.21 mm
Original illustration. Tap to flip.
The 2005 coins also introduced a new, close-up right-facing portrait of Jefferson. The 2005-D "speared bison" die-gouge variety is the best-known find.
Designer: Various (Norman E. Nemeth, Al Maletsky, Jamie Franki, Joe Fitzgerald).
Key dates: lowest mintages
See all 12 →All 4 designs
Every Westward Journey Nickel by year and mint
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| Owned✓ | Coin | Year | Mint | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-P Peace Medal Nickel | 2004 | P | 361,440,000 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 2004-P Keelboat Nickel | 2004 | P | 366,720,000 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 2004-D Peace Medal Nickel | 2004 | D | 372,000,000 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 2004-D Keelboat Nickel | 2004 | D | 344,880,000 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 2004-S Peace Medal Nickel Proof | 2004 | S | 2,992,069 | Proof | – | |
| 2004-S Keelboat Nickel Proof | 2004 | S | 2,965,422 | Proof | – | |
| 2005-P American Bison Nickel | 2005 | P | 448,320,000 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 2005-P Ocean in View Nickel | 2005 | P | 394,080,000 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 2005-D American Bison Nickel | 2005 | D | 487,680,000 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 2005-D Ocean in View Nickel | 2005 | D | 411,120,000 | Circulation strike | – | |
| 2005-S American Bison Nickel Proof | 2005 | S | 3,344,679 | Proof | – | |
| 2005-S Ocean in View Nickel Proof | 2005 | S | 3,344,679 | Proof | – |
Composition by year
| Years | Metal | Weight | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004–2005 | 75% copper, 25% nickel | 5 g | – |
Mint mark location
2004–2005: On the obverse: near the date on 2004 coins and just above the date, below LIBERTY, on 2005 coins (P, D or S).
Grading tips
Modern nickels are graded on luster and strike. Look for weakness on the reverse devices and for contact marks across Jefferson's cheek.
The law that allowed the change
The Jefferson nickel's reverse had shown Monticello since 1938. Legislators from Virginia wanted to keep it, so the American 5-Cent Coin Design Continuity Act of 2003 struck a compromise. It allowed temporary designs from 2003 to 2005 to honor the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark Expedition, then required Monticello to return in 2006. The Westward Journey series was the result.
What each design commemorates
The Peace Medal reverse reproduces the medals the expedition gave to Native American leaders, with clasped hands, a crossed tomahawk and pipe and the words PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP. The Keelboat reverse shows the expedition's large boat under sail, which carried supplies up the Missouri River in 1804.
The 2005 American Bison reverse shows a bison in profile, an animal the explorers described in their journals. The Ocean in View reverse shows the Pacific coast with a line from William Clark's journal entry of November 1805, written when the party believed it had reached the ocean.
The new portrait of 2005
Joe Fitzgerald's 2005 obverse shows Jefferson facing right in a close-up portrait based on a bust by Jean-Antoine Houdon. The word Liberty is written in a script modeled on Jefferson's own handwriting. Because the portrait is so large, the date and mint mark were moved, which is why 2005 nickels look very different from the 2004 coins with Felix Schlag's portrait.
Collecting the series
A basic set has the four reverses in P and D versions. Proofs from San Francisco and the satin finish coins sold in the Mint's uncirculated sets of 2005 add more. The satin finish coins have a soft, matte look quite unlike regular circulation strikes.
Coins from rolls are still easy to find, but most are heavily marked. Look for luster and clean cheeks on the 2005 coins in particular, since the large portrait shows every contact mark.
The expedition behind the coins
The United States bought the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803, roughly doubling the size of the country. President Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark with the Corps of Discovery to explore it and find a route to the Pacific. They set out up the Missouri River in May 1804, reached the Pacific coast in late 1805 and returned to St. Louis in September 1806. The four reverses follow that journey in order, from diplomacy and river travel to the Great Plains and the coast.
Jamie Franki, who designed the 2005 bison reverse, also created the forward-facing Jefferson portrait that appeared in 2006 when Monticello returned. The Westward Journey coins therefore link directly to the nickel design that followed them.
Frequently asked questions
What is the rarest Westward Journey Nickel?
By mintage, the scarcest regular circulation issue is the 2004-D Keelboat Nickel with 344,880,000 struck, followed by the 2004-P Peace Medal Nickel (361,440,000). Survival rates and condition also matter: some higher-mintage dates are scarce in top grades.
Are Westward Journey Nickels silver?
2004–2005: 75% copper, 25% nickel.
Where is the mint mark on a Westward Journey Nickel?
2004–2005: On the obverse: near the date on 2004 coins and just above the date, below LIBERTY, on 2005 coins (P, D or S).
How many Westward Journey Nickels were made?
About 3,186,240,000 for circulation across 8 date and mint combinations, from 487,680,000 for the 2005-D American Bison Nickel down to 344,880,000 for the 2004-D Keelboat Nickel.
Who designed the Westward Journey Nickel?
Various (Norman E. Nemeth, Al Maletsky, Jamie Franki, Joe Fitzgerald).
What are the four Westward Journey nickels?
The 2004 Peace Medal and Keelboat nickels and the 2005 American Bison and Ocean in View nickels, each marking the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Why did the nickel go back to Monticello in 2006?
The 2003 law that allowed the Westward Journey designs required Monticello to return to the reverse after 2005.
Other nickels
Mintages from Wikipedia's US Mint-sourced tables (CC BY-SA 4.0). Specifications from US Mint records. All sources.