Both silver and nickel 5-cent pieces were made in 1942. The ones that contain silver have a large P or S mint mark over the dome of Monticello. Please post new question with the location of the letters you see.
It's the usual practice of this site to answer a single question at a time. Please see:"What is the value of a 1940 US nickel?""What is the value of a 1942 US nickel?""What is the value of a 1944 US nickel?"
There is no such thing as a Mercury nickel. See the related question below.
In 1942 silver nickels were only minted at Philadelphia and San Francisco.
The large "P" above the dome means it's a "war nickel" that is struck in 35% silver. The nickel was removed for the war effort and silver was used as a replacement, this was done from 1942 - 1945. Because it has a small amount of silver the value is about $1.00. NOTE: The 1942 war nickel is the first US coin to ever use a "P" Mintmark.
Most are only face value but some can be worth $1.00-$5.00 it depends on the condition of the coin.
It's the usual practice of this site to answer a single question at a time. Please see:"What is the value of a 1940 US nickel?""What is the value of a 1942 US nickel?""What is the value of a 1944 US nickel?"
There is no such thing as a Mercury nickel. See the related question below.
No such coin exists. All 1942-D nickels are made out of the standard 75% copper 25% nickel. Only 1942-S and 1942-P nickels were struck out of the "war nickel" alloy of 35% silver. A 1942-D nickel is worth about 7 cents if circulated and a couple of bucks if in better shape.
In 1942 silver nickels were only minted at Philadelphia and San Francisco.
The large "P" above the dome means it's a "war nickel" that is struck in 35% silver. The nickel was removed for the war effort and silver was used as a replacement, this was done from 1942 - 1945. Because it has a small amount of silver the value is about $1.00. NOTE: The 1942 war nickel is the first US coin to ever use a "P" Mintmark.
If you mean a Jefferson nickel dated 1942-1945 with very large mintmarks on the reverse, the silver value is about $1.00. They are 35% silver.
Most are only face value but some can be worth $1.00-$5.00 it depends on the condition of the coin.
The only years silver was used in US nickels was 1942-1945, the coin is face value.
There are two different Jefferson nickels dated 1942. One is made from 35% silver with a large "P" or "S" mintmark on the reverse over Monticello. This is a War Nickel that's worth about $1.00 in circulated condition. The other is a common copper-nickel coin that in circulated condition is really only worth face value.
Your nickel contains no silver. Only nickels made from 1942-1945 contain silver. See the related question below.
A circulated 1942 buffalo nickel typically holds a value of around $1-2, depending on its condition and mint mark. It is always recommended to consult with a professional coin dealer or appraiser for an accurate valuation.
Prior to 1979/80, coins struck at Philadelphia didn't carry mint marks*, so your nickel comes from that mint. Please see the Related Question for value information. (*) So-called "war nickels" bore the P mint mark from 1942 to 1945. The first coin to regularly carry a P was the 1979 SBA dollar. The next year, all other denominations except the cent were also given P mint marks.