Now compare this nickel to its 2010 counterpart. What we see is a bisected face of Thomas Jefferson, rendered in low relief, the missing half floating somewhere in the ether. Arching off to the side of Jefferson (his visible half ) is an asymmetric "In God We Trust." It's an off-center coin for an off-center world, so I suppose it's appropriate. But no thank you.

Brooklyn-born R. O. Blechman says he has handled thousands (make that millions) of nickels since his birth in 1930. He stumbled into his art career, first by entering the High School of Music and Art (his mother's suggestion), then by having to make a living. In his long career as an artist–illustrator with several gallery shows here and abroad, and an animated filmmaker, he recently tried his hand at writing, Dear James: Letters to a Young Illustrator (Simon & Schuster).