War nickels 1942-1945: silver content, mintages and how to spot one

From late 1942 through 1945 the Mint made five-cent pieces from an alloy of 56% copper, 35% silver and 9% manganese so nickel could go to the war effort. You can spot one in seconds: a large P, D or S sits above the dome of Monticello on the back. Each holds 1.75 grams of silver, so even worn ones are worth more than five cents.

By the Coin Scanner team · Updated 2026-10-13

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Why the Mint put silver in the nickel

Before the war, the five-cent piece was 75% copper and 25% nickel, a mix that had been standard since 1866. Nickel was a strategic metal for armor plate and munitions, and according to the PCGS CoinFacts history of the 1944-P, the War Production Board controlled how scarce metals were allocated. After experimenting with substitutes, the Mint settled in 1942 on an alloy of 56% copper, 35% silver and 9% manganese.

The Mint also wanted these coins to be easy to sort out later. The U.S. Mint explains that the mint mark was moved from its usual place to the right of Monticello to a spot above the dome, made much larger, and for the first time a "P" was used for Philadelphia. After the war the old alloy returned, the mint mark went back to its former position, and the P was dropped until 1979-1980.

The coins were never formally recalled. PCGS notes they kept circulating alongside ordinary nickels for about two decades until silver prices rose and they were pulled from change by the Treasury and by collectors. Ron Guth of PCGS also points out that the alloy tends to tone toward a greenish color in circulation, which is why many war nickels in old jars look darker than other nickels from the 1940s.

1942: the year with two alloys

1942 is the date that trips people up. Nickels struck early in the year at Philadelphia (no mint mark) and at Denver (1942-D, small D to the right of Monticello) are the old copper-nickel alloy and contain no silver. The 1942-P and 1942-S with the big mint mark above the dome are the silver version. So the quick rule is simple: no large letter above the dome means no silver, whatever the date says.

War nickel mintages

Mintages below are business-strike figures as listed by PCGS CoinFacts. Proof coins were made only in 1942, at Philadelphia, in both alloys.

With hundreds of millions struck, ordinary circulated war nickels are common. The lowest-mintage silver issue, 1943-D, is still over 15 million coins. What separates a collectible coin from a silver-value coin is condition, a sharp strike, and the two items covered next.

The 1943/2-P overdate

An overdate happens when a die already carrying one date is reworked with another, leaving traces of the first. On the 1943/2-P, parts of a 2 can be seen under the final 3. PCGS describes it as the only overdate in the whole Jefferson series, and NGC lists it among the most popular Jefferson varieties. According to PCGS, it was reported in 1948 but only confirmed in 1977, and since then over 1,000 examples have turned up, many from original rolls. The PCGS price record it cites is about $16,675, set when Heritage sold a PCGS MS67 Full Steps example in June 2008; ordinary circulated examples are far more modest.

Be cautious with die damage that looks like an extra digit. If you think you have one, use a loupe on the base of the 3 and then have the coin attributed by a grading service.

The 1944 "no P" nickel is a fake

If you find a 1944 nickel with no mint mark at all, it is not a rare error. PCGS recounts that in the 1950s a counterfeiter named Francis LeRoy Henning struck thousands of fake nickels, and the 1944 date gave him away because he left off the large mint mark that every genuine 1944 nickel carries. His fakes are also made of a copper-nickel mix with no silver. PCGS lists a small defect on the R of PLURIBUS as another sign. Henning pieces are collected as curiosities, but PCGS states it will not certify them.

How to check your war nickel

1. Read the date. Only 1942 to 1945 can be silver.
2. Look above the dome. A large P, D or S above Monticello confirms the silver alloy. A small mark beside the building, or none, means copper-nickel.
3. Weigh it if you like. Both alloys weigh 5.00 grams, so a scale will not tell them apart; the mint mark is the reliable test.
4. Check a 1943-P for the overdate and a 1944 for a missing mint mark (a counterfeit sign).
5. Look at the steps of Monticello. Coins with complete, unbroken steps can earn a Full Steps designation, which collectors pay more for in Mint State.

For a quick identification, scan both sides with the Coin Scanner app: it reads the date and mint mark and gives an estimated value range for your coin.

What a war nickel is worth

For worn coins, value tracks silver. Using the NIST conversion of 31.1034768 grams per troy ounce, 1.75 grams of silver works out to about 0.0563 troy ounce. Multiply that by the day's silver spot price and you have the melt value, which is the main driver for worn, common-date coins. Uncirculated coins, Full Steps examples, the 1942-P proof and genuine 1943/2-P overdates are priced as collectibles instead, and grade makes a large difference.

Any figures you see, including the app's, are estimates. If a coin looks like a high-grade piece or a variety, get it authenticated and graded by a recognized service before you sell it.

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