Is nickel from earth the same as the 5 cent nickel?

Answer 1

US "nickels" (5-cent coins) contain nickel metal - except during WWII, they've always been struck in an alloy of 25% nickel metal and 75% copper.

The coin's name comes from the fact that it was one of the first US Coins to contain nickel metal. When nickel coins were introduced in the mid-19th century people referred to them as "nickels" to distinguish them from their older silver counterparts. The denomination was also part of the nickname, e.g. "three-cent nickel", "five-cent nickel". By the late 19th century the five-cent nickel was the only coin of that composition still being made, so the people gradually shortened the nickname in common slang.

When Canada replaced its silver 5-cent coins with nickel coins in 1922 the US slang name was already well-established, so Anglophone Canadians adopted it as well. Unlike their American counterparts, Canadian nickels actually were pure nickel from 1922 to 1981, except during war years when various substitute metals were used.

Answer 2

The nickel metal used in coins such as the 5 cent nickel is derived from nickel ore mined from the Earth. The metal undergoes refining and processing before being used for coinage. So, while the nickel itself originates from Earth, the specific metal content and composition may vary depending on its intended use.