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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.

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Where were 1964 US nickels minted?

1964 US nickels were minted at Philadelphia (no mint mark at that time) and Denver ("D")


Were there any silver US nickels made in 1964?

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.


What were US nickels made of in 1964?

The same thing as now .750 copper & .250 nickel Regardless of popular misunderstandings, only silver coins were changed after 1964. Pennies and nickels (except for "war nickels") don't have silver so their composition stayed the same.


What is the value of a US nickel made before 1964?

US nickels have been made since 1866 and were struck at three different mints, so it's not possible to give a simple answer. A good summary for common varieties might be as follows, but there are significant exceptions depending on date and mint mark.Nickels made since the early 1950s are not very valuable unless they're in top condition."War nickels" sell for 75 cents and up because they contain a small amount of silver*.Late-date buffalo nickels and early Jefferson nickels generally retail for a couple of dollars.Older buffalo nickels sell for somewhat more, as do common-date Liberty nickels.Shield nickels are significantly more valuable.(*) If the reference to 1964 means you're implicitly asking "are they made of silver?", the answer is mostly a strong NO. All US nickels except special "war nickels" made during 1942-45 are struck in the same alloy of 25% nickel and 75% copper. War nickels contain 1 gram of silver because nickel metal was diverted to the war effort.


What is the value of 1964 Lincoln nickel?

If such a coin existed it would be spectacularly valuable, but all 1964 nickels - in fact, all US nickels made since 1938 - carry a picture of Thomas Jefferson. Abraham Lincoln has been on the cent since 1909.In any case 1964-dated nickels are very common. Any found in pocket change are generally only worth face value.

Related Questions

Can you melt 1964 US nickels for silver?

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.


Where were 1964 US nickels minted?

1964 US nickels were minted at Philadelphia (no mint mark at that time) and Denver ("D")


Were there any silver US nickels made in 1964?

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.


Was 1964 the last year they used silver in a nickel?

No, it was 1945, 1964 nickels are NOT silver. Only the 1942 through 1945 nickels (War 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.


What were US nickels made of in 1964?

The same thing as now .750 copper & .250 nickel Regardless of popular misunderstandings, only silver coins were changed after 1964. Pennies and nickels (except for "war nickels") don't have silver so their composition stayed the same.


What are US nickels made of before 1968?

For US 5 cent coins,except for the War Nickels dated 1942-1945 that have 35% silver in them, all nickels from 1866 to 2010 are made from a copper nickel alloy of .750 copper and .250 nickel


Are any US dimes or nickels made from silver?

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.


What is the value of a US nickel made before 1964?

US nickels have been made since 1866 and were struck at three different mints, so it's not possible to give a simple answer. A good summary for common varieties might be as follows, but there are significant exceptions depending on date and mint mark.Nickels made since the early 1950s are not very valuable unless they're in top condition."War nickels" sell for 75 cents and up because they contain a small amount of silver*.Late-date buffalo nickels and early Jefferson nickels generally retail for a couple of dollars.Older buffalo nickels sell for somewhat more, as do common-date Liberty nickels.Shield nickels are significantly more valuable.(*) If the reference to 1964 means you're implicitly asking "are they made of silver?", the answer is mostly a strong NO. All US nickels except special "war nickels" made during 1942-45 are struck in the same alloy of 25% nickel and 75% copper. War nickels contain 1 gram of silver because nickel metal was diverted to the war effort.


How much silver is in a 1964 us nickel?

None. Please don't assume that because a coin is old it has to be made of silver. All US nickels except special "war nickels" made during 1942-45 are struck in the same alloy of 25% nickel and 75% copper.


Are the nickels in 1930 made of silver?

No, the only US nickels to have silver are the "War Nickels" from 1942 to 1945


When was silver removed from US nickels?

It's a common misconception that pre-1964 US nickels were made of silver just like higher-denomination coins. In fact, the only US 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. They can be identified by a large mint mark letter over the dome of Monticello on the back. All other US nickels dating back to 1866 are made of an alloy of 25% nickel and 75% copper.


What are 2014 nickels made of?

2014 US nickels, like most US nickels, are made of an alloy of 25% nickel and 75% copper. 2014 Canadian nickels are made of an alloy of 94.5% steel and 3.5% copper, plated with 2% nickel.