The only thing special is that there are so many of them. A total of almost 3 billion were minted, the first time more than a billion nickels were made at each mint, and that remains the highest mintage of any year. 1964 nickels still show up in change regularly.
Why so many nickels?
When the price of silver was deregulated silver coins started to be hoarded and melted. The resulting shortage of dimes, quarters, and halves caused huge problems for stores and banks. The Mint didn't yet have a substitute for silver that would work in vending machines and coin counters, so as a stopgap they produced enormous numbers of nickels. Until the current clad composition was developed for higher denominations in 1965, it was possible to receive 10 or 15 nickels in change!
They were minted at Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco. They were minted in 1964.
It's worth exactly 5 cents.
The only US nickels that ever contained any silver were those struck between 1942 and 1945, when nickel was a strategic war material. "War nickels" were about 35% silver with the rest made of copper and manganese. Otherwise, any nickel you find will be made of an alloy of 75% copper and 25% nickel. So if you find, say, a 1957 or 1964 nickel in change feel free to spend it. It's not worth anything special.
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.
All quarters from 1796 to 1964 are silver and 1965 to date are copper-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.
None in circulating quarters. Except for special proof sets and some uncirculated bicentennial sets, all quarters minted after 1964 are made of copper and nickel.
It's worth 5 cents.
They were minted at Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco. They were minted in 1964.
75% copper and only 25% nickel, the same composition used since 1866 except during WWII. The only US nickels that contained any silver were special "war nickels" minted from late 1942 to 1945. These coins are 56% copper, 35% silver and 9% manganese.
It's worth exactly 5 cents.
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.
There is no silver in a 1964 nickel.
The only US nickels that ever contained any silver were those struck between 1942 and 1945, when nickel was a strategic war material. "War nickels" were about 35% silver with the rest made of copper and manganese. Otherwise, any nickel you find will be made of an alloy of 75% copper and 25% nickel. So if you find, say, a 1957 or 1964 nickel in change feel free to spend it. It's not worth anything special.
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.
None. Please don't assume that all pre-1965 coins contained silver. Except during WWII, US nickels never contained silver - they've always been 75% copper alloyed with 25% nickel. From 1942 to 1945 special "war nickels" were made that contained about a gram of silver, because nickel was needed for the war effort. A 1964 U.S. nickel contains 0% silver. Only nickels issued from 1942 thru 1945 (known collectively as 'war nickels' and distinguished by their large mint marks, hovering over Monticello on the reverse) contained any silver, 35% by weight.
A pre-1964 nickel weighs 5 grams.