I agree with this article that says the U.S. Mint is getting way too creative with our money. There was nothing wrong with the nickel the way it was.
Quick story. Remember when they made the big change in paper money? When suddenly, all the presidents had larger portraits and there were different style numbers in the corners? The first time I saw a new $20 bill was one morning in Laughlin, Nevada back in the days when I had this hobby (that's all it ever was) of counting cards in Blackjack and usually but not always winning tidy sums of loot. I gave it up because of the "usually but not always" part.
So one morn, I went to an ATM to withdraw $300 and out it came in these new twenties I'd never seen before. I don't think anyone in town had. After staring at them for a few moments, I strolled over to a 21 table and forked them over to a dealer to convert to chips. The dealer had never seen money like that either and looked somewhat troubled. She called over the Casino Host and showed him the pieces of paper I'd laid down, whereupon they had a brief private discussion about whether to accept it.
They quickly came to their senses and gave me my chips…but for a minute or so there, they were concerned that I had perhaps manufactured this alleged money. The thought process apparently went something like this: "My God…not only has this man printed up counterfeit money but he's taken it upon himself to completely redesign the twenty dollar bill!"