Nickels minted in the United States between 1942 and 1945 are made of 35% silver. These are commonly known as "silver war nickels." Normally all other nickels are composed of 75% copper and 25% nickel. ... The rest of the alloy was made up of copper (56%) and manganese (9%).

Are all nickels before 1965 silver?

Invest in American History. Most coins minted in the United States before 1965 were 90% silver and 10% copper. ... All other U.S. denominations other than pennies and nickels at one time were struck using 90% silver. In 1965, Public Law 88-36 reduced the amount of silver in coins from 90% to 40%.

What are silver nickels worth?

How much are silver war nickels worth? Silver nickels contain . 05626 ounces of silver, which with silver at a current spot price of $24 per ounce, makes any silver nickel worth at least $1.35 each. Circulated examples are easy to source today and can be purchased in rolls for about their silver value.