US dimes were made of an alloy of 90% silver and 10% copper until 1964. Since then, all dimes are made of cupronickel-clad copper, and don't contain any precious metals.
All US nickels except special "war nickels" made from late 1942 to 1945 are struck in an alloy of 25% nickel and 75% copper.
War nickels were made of an alloy of 56% copper, 35% silver, and 9% manganese because nickel metal was needed for the war effort. These coins are distinguished by a large mint mark letter over the dome of Monticello on the back.
All US dimes dated 1964 and earlier are made of an alloy of 90% silver and 10% copper. The only nickels that ever contained silver were the famous "war nickels" minted during WWII when nickel was a strategic metal. These can be identified by a large mint mark letter (P, D, or S) over the dome of Monticello. All other nickels are made of an alloy of 75% copper and 25% nickel.
No, they don't. US nickels are made of copper and nickel. The only ones that DO contain silver are war nickels, minted 1942-1945.
No. The U.S. nickel is made from, ironically, nickel and copper. (That's how it got the name.) The only nickels that ever contained silver were the famous "war nickels" minted during WWII when nickel was a strategic metal. All other nickels are made of an alloy of 75% copper and 25% nickel.
You can melt them but you won't get any silver. All US nickels except special "war nickels" made during 1942-45 are struck in the same alloy of 25% nickel and 75% copper.
It's a common misconception that because dimes, quarters, and half dollars minted before 1965 were silver, nickels also had silver in them. However the standard composition for US nickels has been an alloy of 25% nickel and 75% copper ever since the coin was introduced in 1866. The only US nickels that ever contained silver were the famous "war nickels" minted from mid-1942 to 1945. These coins were struck in an alloy of 35% silver, 56% copper, and 9% manganese because nickel was needed for the war effort.
All U.S. dimes and quarters dated before 1965 are 90% silver. The only nickels to ever contain silver are dated 1942-1945. These coins are easily identified by the large mint mark (P, D, or S) over Monticello's dome.
All US dimes dated 1964 and earlier are made of an alloy of 90% silver and 10% copper. The only nickels that ever contained silver were the famous "war nickels" minted during WWII when nickel was a strategic metal. These can be identified by a large mint mark letter (P, D, or S) over the dome of Monticello. All other nickels are made of an alloy of 75% copper and 25% nickel.
No they are not silver, only the 1942 through 1945 nickels with large reverse mintmarks are 35% silver. All other US nickels, regardless of date, are made of an alloy of 25% nickel and 75% copper.
U.S. dimes, quarters, and half dollars were made of 90% silver up till 1964. Today those denominations are made of copper-nickel, and dollar coins are made of manganese brass. Note that nickels are also made of copper-nickel. The only nickels that ever had any silver in them were minted from 1942 to 1945.
No, the only US nickels to have silver are the "War Nickels" from 1942 to 1945
Please don't assume that all coins were made of silver before 1965. Only dimes, quarters, and halves were made of 90% silver at that time. All US nickels made from 1866 to mid-1942 and from 1946 to the present are made of a copper-nickel alloy, not silver. From mid-1942 to 1945 nickels did contain a small amount of silver because nickel metal was needed for the war effort. Those "war nickels" are the ONLY ones that have any silver in them.
US nickels made from 1866 to mid-1942 and from 1946 to the present are made of a copper-nickel alloy, not silver. From mid-1942 to 1945 nickels did contain a small amount of silver because nickel metal was needed for the war effort. Those "war nickels" are the ONLY ones that have any silver in them. Because dimes, quarters, and halves contained silver up till 1964 many people erroneously believe that nickels did, too. But after all, the coin is called a nickel because it's partly made of nickel!
None. Silver was used in dimes, quarters, and half dollars but not nickels. Urban legends and internet rumors to the contrary, the only US nickels that ever contained silver were the special "war nickels" struck during WWII when nickel was a strategic metal. ALL other US nickels have been made of the same alloy of 75% copper and 25% nickel.
The U.S. stopped minting silver half-dimes in 1873, a few years after the introduction of the nickel. The only nickels that actually contain silver are "war" nickels minted 1942-1945.
No, they don't. US nickels are made of copper and nickel. The only ones that DO contain silver are war nickels, minted 1942-1945.
Nickels are made of 75% copper and only 25% nickel, including nearly all of those made before 1964. Silver was only used in dimes, quarters, and half dollars at that time, not nickels. "war nickels" minted during 1942-1945 were made of silver, copper, and manganese because nickel was a strategic metal. These are the only nickels that ever contained silver. Urban legends and internet rumors to the contrary, all other nickels are made of the same 75% copper / 25% nickel alloy.
The question is actually "which years" rather than "which year".Nickels:Contrary to popular misunderstanding, nearly all US nickels are made of an alloy of 25% nickel and 75% copper. The ONLY nickels that ever contained silver were special "war nickels" minted from late 1942 to 1945. War nickels were made of an alloy of 56% copper, 35% silver, and 9% manganese because nickel metal was needed for the war effort. These coins are distinguished by a large mint mark letter over the dome of Monticello on the back.Dimes and quarters:1964 was the last year for silver dimes and quarters. Starting in 1965, those two denominations were changed to the current cupronickel-clad composition.Half dollars:Until 1964, halves were made of the same 90% silver alloy as dimes and quarters. From 1965 to 1969 they were made of 40% silver. None were minted for circulation in 1970. Starting in 1971, they were changed to the same clad metal used for dimes and quarters.