# silver nickels **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 28, 2000, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-nickels/34884 "2000-09-28T16:13:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2000, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-nickels/34884/21 "2000-10-01T23:15:36Z")
Also, older Canadian five-cent pieces are made of pure nickel, or at least, a much higher concentration than the American alloy. I’m not sure when Canada changed their alloy, but it was sometime between 1978 and 1989 (I have two Canadian nickels here in front of me bearing those dates). It’s very easy to tell the difference: An old Canadian nickel will stick to a magnet, as nickel, like iron, is ferromagnetic. By the way, aluminum powder may well be silvery, but the much more common aluminum oxide powder is black. Try handling a bunch of aluminum all day some day… Your hands will be completely blackened. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-nickels/34884/22 "2000-10-02T01:11:29Z")
**Chronos** Canadian “nickels” have possibly undergone the most changes of composition of any nation. They were pure nickel from 1922-42. They made a brass one 1942-43. They were chrome-plated steel 1944-45. Back to nickel 1946-50. 1951-54 basically chrome-plated steel again. Back to nickel from 1955-1981. Then copper-nickel from 1982-current. Sheesh! Can’t they make up their minds? \*For other readers- I know this post was boring. If you’ve gotten this far in the thread, you must be boring also. ---
**Author:** ![Chance\_the\_Gardener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@Chance\_the\_Gardener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chance_the_Gardener)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-nickels/34884/23 "2000-10-02T01:22:22Z")
I’m not sure about your dates. I’ve got a 1964 Canadian nickel that’s magnetic. Also, I don’t think Canada ever used _pure_ nickel; such a coin would literally be too brittle to circulate. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-nickels/34884/24 "2000-10-02T01:58:07Z")
**Chance** Nickel is magnetic(at room temperature). It is not too brittle to be used as a coin. ---
**Author:** ![Chance\_the\_Gardener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@Chance\_the\_Gardener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chance_the_Gardener)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-nickels/34884/25 "2000-10-02T02:29:26Z")
The American nickel, as has already been stated, is only 25% nickel, but even pure nickel isn’t magnetic, and copper certainly isn’t, either. At room temperature, ground into filings or even molten, nickel isn’t magnetic. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-nickels/34884/26 "2000-10-02T02:43:41Z")
**chance** I have in my hand a 1924 Canadian nickel. It is made out of pure nickel, contrary to what you might believe. I just took a magnet off of my refrigerator. It picks up the nickel. What else can I tell you? Pure nickel **IS** magnetic. If you think it isn’t, give me a cite! You are correct in saying that US nickels are 75% copper. A magnet does **not** pick up an American nickel. ---
**Author:** ![Kyberneticist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dc4da7/32.png) [@Kyberneticist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyberneticist)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-nickels/34884/27 "2000-10-02T03:00:12Z")
Not that it helps Chance any… [http://www.tamuk.edu/chemistry/WebElements/nickel\_element.htm](http://www.tamuk.edu/chemistry/WebElements/nickel_element.htm) [http://www.fordhamprep.pvt.k12.ny.us/gcurran/3rdquart/nielem.htm](http://www.fordhamprep.pvt.k12.ny.us/gcurran/3rdquart/nielem.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Chance\_the\_Gardener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@Chance\_the\_Gardener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chance_the_Gardener)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-nickels/34884/28 "2000-10-02T03:35:42Z")
**samclem** —I stand corrected. I thought nickel wasn’t magnetic. I even looked it up in my reference materials, but I see that I didn’t look deep enough. Looking again, I see that it is indeed ferromagnetic. Thanks for your kind, non-condescending reply and your patience with me, whose knowledge of chemistry isn’t… well… isn’t flawless. I would have researched your assertion further, but apparently the work has been done for me. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-nickels/34884/29 "2000-10-02T15:32:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by samclem \* > \*\*I would estimate that we buy 25-50,000 war nickels per year. The bulk of what we buy is melted. \*\* That sounds horrible - that they are worth so little that they are just melted down for their silver. Akin to melting down some of our history, I guess. Oh well, supply and demand… ---
**Author:** ![Usurer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/2acd7d/32.png) [@Usurer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Usurer)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2000, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-nickels/34884/30 "2000-10-03T05:43:15Z")
We sell random “war nickels” in our pawn shop for about 40 cents each. We generally pay about half that. Uncirculated ones go for a couple of bucks. As far as easy to find, I dunno. I’ve dug through many a roll of nickels in my off time and found maybe two. About as easy to find as Indian Head cents in a roll of pennies, it seems to me. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-nickels/34884/31 "2004-04-10T07:19:35Z")
> [@Chance the Gardener](#): > > **samclem** —I stand corrected. I thought nickel wasn’t magnetic. I even looked it up in my reference materials, but I see that I didn’t look deep enough. Looking again, I see that it is indeed ferromagnetic. Thanks for your kind, non-condescending reply and your patience with me, whose knowledge of chemistry isn’t… well… isn’t flawless. I would have researched your assertion further, but apparently the work has been done for me. Like iron and nickel, cobalt is ferromagnetic. (In _Building Blocks of the Universe,_ Isaac Asimov said gadolinium–a “rare earth metal”–is weakly magnetic. My Dad [who had no background in chemistry] disagreed with that. :rolleyes: ) ---
**Author:** ![Starguard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Starguard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starguard)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-nickels/34884/32 "2004-04-10T11:20:24Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Nickels were not introduced in 1883 but rather 1866. The design was a shield on the obverse and a large numeral “5” on the reverse. The design was changed in 1883 to a female head of liberty on the obverse and a _Roman numeral 5_ on the reverse. > > As I work in the largest retail coin shop in Ohio, I feel my opinion on values is valid. > > We currently pay the public **12 cents** for a war nickel. If you wish to buy them mixed, as they come from the barrel, we sell them in quantity for about 20 cents. If you want a particular date/mint for your collection, it’s 50 cents(the additional 30 cents being the cost of waiting on you and stocking/sorting some coins by date. I would estimate that we buy 25-50,000 war nickels per year. The bulk of what we buy is melted. I’m glad you chimed in my friend I have an Indian Head nickel thats pretty worn and dated for the year 1935. Assuming that its real, How much money is it worth today (if anything above face value)? ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-nickels/34884/33 "2004-04-10T22:31:05Z")
> [@Starguard](#): > > I’m glad you chimed in my friend > > I have an Indian Head nickel thats pretty worn and dated for the year 1935. Assuming that its real, How much money is it worth today (if anything above face value)? The Teeming Millions probably already know that the _five-cent_ nickel coin _was_ introduced in 1883, even if coins containing nickel were minted before. In fact this coin caused the mint some embarrassment: The original “Liberty Head” nickel had the Roman numeral “V” on the back, but not the word “Cents.” So one entrepreneur gold-plated these “Racketeer Nickels” and passed them off as five-dollar gold pieces! He was arrested, I understand, but it turned out they couldn’t charge him with violating any law. The next year the design was changed. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-nickels/34884/34 "2004-04-10T23:07:42Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > The Teeming Millions probably already know that the _five-cent_ nickel coin _was_ introduced in 1883, even if coins containing nickel were minted before. See my post above. The first five-cent nickle coin was introduced in 1866. It was made out of 75% copper and 25% nickel, just as were the 1883 “V” nickels. ---
**Author:** ![Starguard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Starguard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starguard)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2004, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-nickels/34884/35 "2004-04-11T06:10:33Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > See my post above. The first five-cent nickle coin was introduced in 1866. It was made out of 75% copper and 25% nickel, just as were the 1883 “V” nickels. So If this Indian head nickel that I have is legit, is it worth anything more than 5 cents? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2004, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-nickels/34884/36 "2004-04-11T14:48:44Z")
> [@Starguard](#): > > So If this Indian head nickel that I have is legit, is it worth anything more than 5 cents? Based on the online guides I’ve found, roughly 30 cents if it is in fairly good condition. It’s probably legit, no point in faking something that isn’t worth much. ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2004, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-nickels/34884/37 "2004-04-11T17:24:01Z")
The silver nickels minted during World War II were intended to free up nickel for use in Oak Ridge’s uranium gaseous diffusion enrichment facility. Natural uranium was converted to uranium hexafluoride, a gas, and piped through the gaseous diffusion plant. Uranium hexafluoride (UF6) is extremely corrosive and huge quantities of nickel were required to protect the equipment from corrosion. The highly-enriched uranium (U235) was used to build the “Little Boy” atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2004, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-nickels/34884/38 "2004-04-11T19:46:00Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > As I work in the largest retail coin shop in Ohio, I feel my opinion on values is valid. **samclem** : How _you_ doin’? Any deals for a fellow collector? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-nickels/34884/39 "2004-04-12T21:15:34Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > See my post above. The first five-cent nickle coin was introduced in 1866. It was made out of 75% copper and 25% nickel, just as were the 1883 “V” nickels. :o I believe I remember, vaguely, reading about a 5-cent nickel coin that predates the Liberty Head nickel and matches the description you’ve given. I’ll verify with a coin book (I’m in a library right now). I don’t know offhand when the silver “half-disme” was discontinued. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2004, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-nickels/34884/40 "2004-04-13T00:15:09Z")
Silver “half dimes” were produced through 1873, and co-existed with the new(1866) “nickel” five cent coins. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-nickels/34884.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silver-nickels/34884.md?page=3)