1942–1945 silver Jefferson nickels
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Melt value is the value of the metal only. Dealers usually buy a little under melt and sell above it, and rare dates or high-grade coins can be worth much more to collectors.
| Years | October 1942 through 1945 |
| Silver dates | 1942-P, 1942-S, and all 1943–1945 (P, D, S) |
| Not silver | 1942 with no mint mark, 1942-D |
| How to spot | Large mint mark above Monticello’s dome on the back |
During World War II, nickel was needed for the war effort, so from October 1942 through 1945 the U.S. Mint made nickels from 56% copper, 35% silver and 9% manganese.
Is it legal to melt them? Federal rules (31 CFR Part 82) generally ban melting U.S. pennies and nickels for their metal, but the 1942–1945 silver war nickels are specifically exempt.
Condition and rarity can make some coins worth far more than their metal. Here are the ones collectors look for:
Mintages from PCGS CoinFacts and other standard references. Collector values depend on exact date, mint mark and grade, so check a current price guide, or ask us in our Discord.
0.05626 troy ounces of pure silver.
1942-P and 1942-S. 1942 nickels with no mint mark and 1942-D are not silver.
Yes. The federal ban on melting pennies and nickels (31 CFR Part 82) exempts 1942–1945 silver war nickels.
Specs verified October 2026 against: PCGS CoinFacts · 31 CFR Part 82 (eCFR). Live prices from gold-api.com, refreshed every minute.
