The journey of the Jefferson nickel started in 1937, even though this series could not begin until the next year (1938) because of a law forbidding a coin changing before the minimum of 25 years had passed since the first release of the design. The coin in use at that time was the buffalo nickel, and was in its twenty-fourth year of production. Even though many appreciated the older design, the mint discontinued it due to the fact that the date would easily rub off and become illegible.