Why Does This Nickel Have a Big Mint Mark on the Back?
Spot a nickel from 1942-1945 with a huge mint mark (P, D, or S) on the reverse, above Monticello? You’ve not just found any nickel—you’ve found a "War Nickel" made with silver!
During World War II, nickel was a critical metal for armor and artillery. The U.S. Mint removed it from the five-cent coin to conserve it for the war effort. From mid-1942 through 1945, the composition changed to: 56% copper, 35% silver, and 9% manganese.
How to Identify One:
Check the Date: 1942 (part-year), 1943, 1944, or 1945.
Find the Giant Mint Mark: Look on the reverse (back) of the coin, high above the dome of Monticello. This large, prominent mint mark is the dead giveaway. (Some 1942 nickels were made in the early, pre-war composition and have the small mint mark on the front).
Why It Matters: Each of these nickels contains roughly 0.056 troy ounces of silver. While that’s a small amount, it’s a fascinating piece of home-front history. They’re a direct, touchable link to the national effort of WWII.
Check your jar of old nickels! That weird one with the big letter on the back is a silver treasure. Scan it with Coin ID Scanner to confirm its composition and see its current melt value.
