No. Except for 1942-1945, nickels have always had the same metal content. It was dimes, quarters, and half dollars that switched in 1965.
Pre-1965 nickels are made of the same copper/nickel blend as modern nickels. The only nickels that contain any silver are those minted during WWII.
All nickels except "war nickels" from 1942-45 are made of copper-nickel, not silver. What you have is an ordinary coin worth 5 cents.
Nickels minted before 1965 are typically made of 35% silver and can be valuable to collectors. Look for nickels from 1942 to 1945, as they are made of 35% silver due to the shortage during World War II. Additionally, any rare or error nickels can also be valuable.
No, a 1965 nickel is not made of silver. Nickels minted in 1965 are composed of a copper-nickel alloy, consisting of 75% copper and 25% nickel. Silver nickels were produced from 1942 to 1945 during World War II due to a shortage of nickel 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.
Unlike dimes, quarters, and half-dollars, which were all 90% silver before 1965, nickels did NOT have a change in metal composition in the 1960s. They have been the same blend of 75% copper and 25% nickel since the coin was introduced back in 1866. The only nickels that DO contain silver are "war" nickels, minted 1942-45.
Before 1965 American Nickels and Quarters were made of Silver (Ag)
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.
The only 1965-dated U.S. coins that contain silver are half dollars. They're only 40% silver, as opposed to 90% for dimes, quarters, and halves dated 1964 and earlier. Nickels are made of copper and nickel, not silver. The only nickels that contain any silver at all are the famous "war nickels" from 1942-45. They can be identified by a large mint mark on the back. They contain about 35% silver.
Unless they are in proof or uncirculated condition, only 5 cents. The only Jefferson nickels in circulated condition that are worth much more over face are the war nickels made out of 35% silver (1942-1945) and depending on demand the ones from the '30s can be worth a bit of a premium. Nickels from 1946 onwards are found in pocket change if you look hard enough.
Pre-1965 silver coins are worth more for the silver than face value.
That's a VERY broad question. Nickels were first struck in 1866 and were made at 3 different mints so there are hundreds of possibilities to choose from. For more common dates, the rules of thumb are:Part-silver "war nickels" dated 1942 to 1945 and with a large mint mark on the back are worth about 0.05 times the current price of silver.1938 and 1939 Jefferson nickels are worth a small premium, especially if they're not very wornMost other Jefferson nickels aren't worth much more than face value unless they're in top-grade conditionBuffalo nickels from the 'teens and 20's can be worth a premium ranging from 75 cents to many dollars, depending on date, condition, and mint mark.Also, remember that popular misconceptions notwithstanding, pre-1965 nickels were NOT struck in 90% silver. Except for the "war nickels" mentioned above, all nickels have been made of a cupronickel (25% Ni / 75% Cu) alloy.