<P> When the Buffalo nickel had been struck for 25 years and could be replaced without an act of Congress, the Mint moved quickly to replace it . Although the Fraser design is popular today among numismatists, it did not enjoy that status in 1938, and there was no public outcry at the decision . In January 1938, the Mint announced an open competition for the new nickel design, with the winner to receive a prize of $1,000 . Anticipating the 1943 bicentennial of Jefferson's birth, competitors were to place his portrait on the obverse, and a depiction of his house Monticello on the reverse . </P> <P> On April 24, Felix Schlag was announced as the winner . His design featured the portrayal of Jefferson which would be used on the nickel until 2004, closely conforming to the former president's bust by sculptor Jean - Antoine Houdon, which is to be found in Boston's Museum of Fine Arts . However, the model differs from the nickel that was struck for circulation because it featured a view of Monticello from an angle, and a style of lettering officials did not like; Schlag was required to change both . Either through a misunderstanding or an oversight, Schlag did not include his initials in the design; they would not be added until 1966 . Production began on October 3, 1938; they were released into circulation on November 15 . According to contemporary accounts, the Jefferson nickel was initially hoarded, and it was not until 1940 that it was commonly seen in circulation . </P> <P> With the entry of the United States into World War II, nickel became a critical war material, and the Mint sought to reduce its use of the metal . On March 27, 1942, Congress authorized a nickel made of 50% copper and 50% silver, but gave the Mint the authority to vary the proportions, or add other metals, in the public interest . The Mint's greatest concern was in finding an alloy that would use no nickel, but still satisfy counterfeit detectors in vending machines . An alloy of 56% copper, 35% silver and 9% manganese proved suitable, and this alloy began to be coined into nickels from October 1942 . In the hope of making them easy to sort out and withdraw after the war, the Mint struck all "war nickels" with a large mint mark appearing above Monticello . The mint mark P for Philadelphia was the first time that mint's mark had appeared on a US coin . The prewar composition returned in 1946; all nickels struck since then have been in 75% copper and 25% nickel . </P> <P> In 1966, a small change was made to the design to add the initials of the designer (FS) to the obverse, underneath Jefferson's portrait . In commemoration of that change, two specimen 1966 nickels with the initials were struck and presented to him . Coins struck at any mint between 1965 and 1967 lack mint marks, which were omitted as the Mint replaced the silver circulating coins with copper - nickel . Beginning in 1968, mint marks were again used, and on the nickel were moved to the lower part of the obverse, to the right of Jefferson's bust . From 1971, no nickels were struck for circulation in San Francisco--the 1971 - S was the first nickel struck in proof only since 1878 . </P>

When did nickels stop being made of nickel