The nickel is a five- cent coin issued since 1866 by the United States Mint, composed of 75% copper and 25%  nickel. The silver half dime, also equal to five cents, was first issued in the 1790s. The economic upset of the American Civil War drove gold and silver from circulation, and the government at first issued paper currency in place of low-value coins. As two-cent (in 1864) and three-cent pieces (1865) without precious metal content had been successfully introduced, Congress authorized a five-cent piece of base metal; the Mint began striking this in 1866. The Shield nickel, the initial design, was struck until 1883, when it was replaced by the Liberty Head nickel. As part of a drive to increase the beauty of American coinage, the Buffalo nickel (shown) was introduced in 1913; it was followed by the Jefferson nickel in 1938. After using special designs for the bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 2004 and 2005, the Mint reverted to using Jefferson nickel designer Felix Schlag's original reverse (or "tails" side), although substituting a new obverse. As of 2013, it costs more than eleven cents to produce a nickel; the Mint is investigating using less expensive metals. ( Full article...)

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March 4: Saint Casimir's Day; Casimir Pulaski Day in Illinois (2013)

Fifty-four cricketers have played for the franchise cricket team Delhi Daredevils (DD), which is one of the teams participating in the Indian Premier League (IPL). DD have reached the IPL playoffs three times and topped the group stage table twice; they qualified for the 2009 and 2012 Champions League Twenty20. Virender Sehwag (pictured) has played the most matches for the franchise: 73 since his debut in 2008. He is also the leading run-scorer for DD, with 2,087 runs. David Warner has scored two centuries for DD, whereas Sehwag, AB de Villiers and Kevin Pietersen have scored one each. Pietersen has the team's best batting average: 47.25. Among DD's bowlers, Amit Mishra has taken more wickets than any other, claiming 46. The best bowling average is Doug Bracewell's 10.66, though among bowlers who have bowled more than 20 overs, Farveez Maharoof has the best average: 19.25. Naman Ojha has taken the most catches as wicket-keeper for DD, with 26, while Dinesh Karthik has made the most stumpings: 13. Sehwag has claimed the highest number of catches among fielders, taking 25. ( Full list...)