No mint mark means it was minted in Philadelphia, and a D indicates Denver.
The unmarked nickels are the nickels that came from the Philadelphia Mint. If they have a "D" on them they come from the Denver Mint. If they have a "S" on them they can from the San Fransisco Mint.
That's a very broad question because there are about 90 different combinations of dates, mint marks, and major varieties. Most Jefferson nickels dated 1938 to 1963 are not worth a significant premium, but there are some exceptions:1938-D : $1 to $30 depending on condition1938-S : $1 to $251939-D : $2 to $80"War nickels" 1942 to 1945 : $2 to $151950-D : $5 to $20Except for those "war nickels" that contain about 1.5 gm of silver, ALL other US nickels regardless of date are made of an alloy of 25% nickel and 75% copper. The only 90% silver denominations made up to 1964 were dimes, quarters, and halves.
Please post a new question with the coin's date. If you know where the mint mark is located include the coin's mint mark as well.
Please check your coin again and post a new, separate question. The San Francisco Mint was inactive from 1956 to 1964 inclusive, so there are no 1961-S coins of any denomination. The SF Mint was reactivated to strike Special Mint Sets and some circulating coins beginning with the 1965 dates, but these coins didn't carry mint marks. The S mint mark was resumed on proof coins beginning in 1968. In addition, SF minted some cents and nickels for circulation from 1968 to 1974; all of these also have an S mint mark.
Not really, while a collector may pay more for a mint-state example of some of the older nickels, it is hard to find a buyer for those circulated coins. In fact, with the exception of key dates (such as the 1950 D) and the silver nickels struck during the war years (1942-1945) all Jefferson nickels are fairly common to come across in change and in bank rolls. In fact, you can most likely fill an album of Jefferson Nickels with the exception of a few blank spots, within a single $100 face box of bank wrapped rolls.
D is the mint mark of the Denver Mint. You may also find an S for San Francisco. Coins without mint marks or with a P were made in Philadelphia. The same mint marks have been used on all denominations of 20th and many 21st century coins, not just buffalo nickels. In the past there were mint marks such as O for New Orleans and CC for Carson City among others. Plus some modern bullion and commemorative coins have a W for West Point.
Nickels before 1964 are made of the same nickel/copper blend as nickels made after 1964. The only nickels to contain any silver are "war" nickels, minted 1942-1945. This means even buffalo nickels don't have any silver.
All 1911 Liberty nickels* were made at Philadelphia, so none have mint marks. In addition there are no minting varieties so all of the coins are the same. You may be thinking of the 1912date, which was the first year nickels were struck at branch mints. These coins have their mint mark position next to the "button" that's between the words UNITED and CENTS on the coin's reverse side. The possibilities are:No mint mark = PhiladelphiaD = DenverS = San Francisco* They're generally called "Liberty nickels", although some people call them V nickels because of the Roman numeral for 5 on the back.
War nickels are distinguished by a large mint mark letter (P, D, or S) over the dome of Monticello on the back.These coins were struck from late 1942 until 1945. Some 1942 nickels were struck in the standard composition; these do not have a large mint mark. War nickels were made of an alloy of 56% copper, 35% silver, and 9% manganese because nickel metal was needed for the war effort.
No. 25% Nickel, 75% Copper. All nickels made since the coin was introduced in 1866 have been made of the same alloy except for the famous "war nickels" struck during WWII The Mint started using silver in nickels part-way through 1942 because nickel metal was needed for the war effort. Some 1942 nickels were still made of copper-nickel alloy, but those made from silver, copper, and manganese were identified by the use of a large mint mark above the dome of Monticello. Silver "nickels" were minted through the end of 1945. The normal 25% nickel / 75% copper composition was resumed in 1946. No a 1940 nickel was not made of silver. 1942-1945 nickels had some silver in them. 35%.
Many older US nickels can be worth more than face value, in some cases a LOT more, but the prices depend VERY much on the coins' dates, conditions, and mint marks. A few examples:"War nickels" dated 1942 to 1945 with a large mint mark on the back are worth 75 cents to a dollar in average condition. These special nickels contain 1.75 gm of silver, and are the only US nickels to ever contain that metal.Average-condition buffalo nickels with visible dates can be worth at least a dollar, and sometimes much more depending on their date and mint mark.Average-condition Liberty Head nickels are worth at lease 2 or 3 dollars each.Rarities like a 1937 nickel with a 3-legged buffalo, or a 1917/18 overdate, can be worth hundreds of dollarsThe five 1913 Liberty Head nickels, an unauthorized striking, have sold for up to roughly $4 million.
No. 25% Nickel, 75% Copper. All nickels made since the coin was introduced in 1866 have been made of the same alloy except for the famous "war nickels" struck during WWII The Mint started using silver in nickels part-way through 1942 because nickel metal was needed for the war effort. Some 1942 nickels were still made of copper-nickel alloy, but those made from silver, copper, and manganese were identified by the use of a large mint mark above the dome of Monticello. Silver "nickels" were minted through the end of 1945. The normal 25% nickel / 75% copper composition was resumed in 1946. No a 1940 nickel was not made of silver. 1942-1945 nickels had some silver in them. 35%.