Nickels minted in the United States between 1942 and 1945 are made of 35% silver. These are commonly known as "silver war nickels."

1943 s wartime jefferson nickel

1943-S wartime Jefferson nickel

Normally all other nickels are composed of 75% copper and 25% nickel. Due to the pressing need for industrial metals like nickel during World War II, five-cent coins were actually made from 35% pure silver during the duration of the war. The rest of the alloy was made up of copper (56%) and manganese (9%).

Interestingly, using this alloy meant that vending machines and coin-operated devices would still recognize and accept the silver nickels.

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How to Identify Silver War Nickels

At first glance, these silver nickels are difficult to distinguish from their copper-nickel counterparts. They look like any other old nickel to most of us. You'll see the same portrait of Thomas Jefferson on the obverse. Even the color is virtually identical.

There are a few key visual differences you can keep an eye out for, however.

The easiest way to check for a silver war nickel is the year-date on the coin. All nickels produced from 1942 to 1945 use the 35% silver composition.

On the reverse (tails) side of the coin, you'll still find the familiar building known as Monticello, Jefferson's famous estate that he supposedly designed himself.

However, only the silver war nickels will place the mintmark on this side of the coin. The letter will either be a P, D, or an S prominently placed above Monticello.

war nickel reverse

Location of the mintmark on a war nickel reverse

How to Tell If Your Coins Are Silver

Silver war nickels aren’t the only valuable coins you might find in your spare change. There are, in fact, several other silver coins you could potentially come across—and they’re actually 90% pure silver.

Chief among these are silver dimes. They generally come in three different varieties:

  • Barber dimes (1892-1916)
  • Mercury dimes (1916-1945)
  • Roosevelt dimes (1946-1964)

Because of their relatively small size, quite a few of these dimes have survived in circulation. Less often you can still find 90% silver quarters, as well.

Coin dealers usually sell bank rolls or large bags of this “junk silver” grouped together by face value. Common increments are $100 or $1,000 face value.

coin rolls boxes[1]

Boxes of bank rolls of coins

This works because the amount of fine silver (by weight) in each coin denomination was roughly proportional to their face value.

In other words,

What Other Coins Are Silver?

Even in the United States, you may occasionally come across foreign silver coins in circulation. The most common are 80% silver coins from Canada.

Canadian 80% silver coins (quarters, half dollars, and dollars) were minted between 1920 and 1967. Prior to 1920, the 92.5% pure (.925 fine) sterling silver standard for British coins was used.

Some commemorative coins and proof sets issued by the U.S. Mint are still composed of 90% silver today in limited quantities.

The key thing to know: All U.S. dimes, quarters, and half dollars minted in 1964 or earlier are composed of 90% silver. Keep this fact in mind any time you decide to buy silver.

There are very specific dates for the Kennedy half dollar and Eisenhower dollar that are also made of 40% silver. Check the infographic below for more details!

check-your-change-infographic

Read more about United States coins from the authors at Gainesville Coins:

Anatomy of a Coin: How to Identify Coins On Sight

How Many Coins Are in a Coin Roll? (Chart & Story)

How to Sell Your Old Coins

What Dimes Are Worth Money?

The Most Valuable Kennedy Half Dollars

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Dan | 9/3/2023
"All nickels produced from 1942 to 1945 use the 35% silver composition." Not true! 1942 no mint mark (NO SILVER) 75% Copper 25% Nickel 1942 no mint mark Ty 1 PROOF (NO SILVER) 75% Copper 25% Nickel 1942 D small mint mark to the right of the Monticello bldg. (NO SILVER) 75% Copper 25% Nickel 1942 P Large mint mark above dome of Monticello bldg. (35% silver) 56% Copper 35% Silver 9% Manganese 1942 P Ty 2 PROOF Large mint mark above dome of Monticello bldg. (35% silver) 56% Copper 35% Silver 9% Manganese 1942 S Large mint mark above dome of Monticello bldg. (35% silver) 56% Copper 35% Silver 9% Manganese
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Everett | 9/5/2023
Yes, thank you for the clarification. I should have specified that in 1942 only nickels with a large mintmark on the reverse are 35% silver. All nickels made in 1943, 1944, and 1945 are 35% silver.
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Everett Millman

Everett Millman

Managing Editor | Analyst, Commodities and Finance

Everett has been the head content writer and market analyst at Gainesville Coins since 2013. He has a background in History and is deeply interested in how gold and silver have historically fit into the financial system.

In addition to blogging, Everett's work has been featured in Reuters, CNN Business, Bloomberg Radio, TD Ameritrade Network, CoinWeek, and has been referenced by the Washington Post.