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 penny1959New Member
Posts: 14
Joined: 30 Mar 2006
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 Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 6:10 pm |
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how can you tell the metal content of a nickel
anyone know about that year? or a photo of one
ill try to scan it, im not great at photo bucket
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 RobertSenior Member
Posts: 896
Joined: 05 Jul 2003
Location: Oklahoma
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| Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 7:23 pm |
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The "war nickels" as they are called are not made of steel. They are a copper-silver-manganese alloy containing 0.05363 ounces of silver (or 35% by weight). This alloy was chosen because the metal "nickel" was considered to be a strategic metal during the war. Some of the 1942-dated nickels and all of the 43-45 ones are of this alloy.
The coins have a large "P", "D", or "S" above the dome of the building (Monticello) on the reverse. The large mint marks were put there to facilitate sorting them out of circulation (and recovering the silver?) after the war.
When they are unc these coins look good, but after circulation they quickly become dark gray and/or black. Lots of exfoliation on these coins too as the alloy was sometimes improperly mixed.
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penny1959New Member
Posts: 14
Joined: 30 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 11:50 pm |
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GarryNExpert Member
Posts: 1296
Joined: 09 Jul 2003
Location: Chicago
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| Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 7:51 am |
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For a second there, I thought I wrote that question.... Anyway, very true Robert. I have a bunch of circulated war nickels that I saved when i was a kid and they are all in some shade of black now. Fortunately one was a 43/2 P.  But when the uncirculated ones tone, they tone very nicely. You just have to scan Ebay. Most are over priced, nothing you can do, except try to find them at coin shops and shows.
I did buy a 43/2 P recently at Harlan Berk's for $50 that is well circulated and is not black. So thats good.
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penny1959New Member
Posts: 14
Joined: 30 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 4:49 pm |
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what is a 43 2 p?
show me a photo if you have one?
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 StevenExpert Member
Posts: 1298
Joined: 30 Nov 2005
Location: S/E Missouri
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| Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 12:18 am |
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penny1959New Member
Posts: 14
Joined: 30 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 9:04 pm |
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GarryNExpert Member
Posts: 1296
Joined: 09 Jul 2003
Location: Chicago
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| Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 12:25 pm |
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Wow that AU55 closed at $70. Nice price. there is no decent photo of the coin anywhere on ebay at the moment. there is a closeup of an MS62 on ebay, but it is out of focus. I couldnt find one in any of the dealer websites I look at occasionally either.
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