How Do You Identify Silver Coins Mixed With Nickel Coins?
Five-cent pieces in the United States are called nickels because that is one of the primary metals used in the minting of the coin. However, during World War II nickel was eliminated from the coin because it was a valuable war material. From late 1942 until 1945 silver was added to the composition of the nickel, and these coins are more valuable than standard Jefferson pieces. The composition of the wartime nickel was 56 percent copper, 35 percent silver and 9 percent manganese. The composition for other Jefferson nickels was 75 percent copper and 25 percent nickel. Look for a shine. The silver alloy nickel is shinier than standard nickels, as silver holds the mint luster better than other metals. Hold several nickels in your hand to tell if one has this particular shine. Look at the dates. If the Jefferson nickel does not have a date between 1942 and 1945, it cannot be a silver alloy nickel because they were only minted during those years. See if there is a large “P,” “D” or “S” mintm
