Live silver coin value
War Nickel Value Today
A war nickel (mid-1942 to 1945) is worth $3.63 in silver today — 0.0563 troy ounces at $64.50 spot, 72.6 times its face value. A roll of 40 is $145.25.
War nickels are the Jefferson nickels struck from mid-1942 through 1945 in an alloy of 35% silver, 56% copper and 9% manganese to save nickel for the war effort. They carry a large mint mark — P, D or S — above Monticello's dome on the reverse; 1942 nickels without that large mark are the ordinary nickel alloy.
The number above is melt value: the silver in one unworn coin at the live spot price. For a circulated coin that is the right answer — war nickels trade on their metal, not their face value — but a few dates are worth more to collectors, and the section below names them. For a whole bag or a mixed lot, the junk silver calculator prices it by face value.
One war nickel
$3.63
0.0563 ozt silver · mid-1942 to 1945
Times face value
72.6×
melt ÷ 5 cents
Silver spot
$64.50
per troy ounce
Melt value at silver spot from gold-api.com, captured Sep 25, 2026, 4:26 PM UTC. Nothing here is an offer to buy or sell.
What war nickels are worth, by count
Melt value of unworn coins at today's spot. Circulated coins hold slightly less silver; bags are priced at 0.715 ozt per $1 face to allow for it.
| Quantity | Silver | Melt value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 coin | 0.056 ozt | $3.63 |
| $1 face (20 coins) | 1.126 ozt | $72.63 |
| 1 roll (40 coins, $2.00 face) | 2.252 ozt | $145.25 |
| $10 face value | 11.26 ozt | $726.27 |
| $100 face value | 112.6 ozt | $7,262.70 |
Which war nickels are silver
Every silver variant of the denomination, with its silver content and value today.
| Coin | Silver | Weight | Silver content | Value today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson "war" nickel, 1942–1945 | 35% | 5 g | 0.0563 ozt | $3.63 |
Check these before selling at melt
War nickels were struck in large numbers and circulated nickels trade on their silver; uncirculated and full-step examples are the ones worth checking against a collector guide.
This page prices metal, not rarity. A coin a collector would pay more for should be looked up in a grading guide before it goes into a melt lot — once it is sold by weight, the premium is gone.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much is a war nickel worth today?
$3.63 in silver, at the current spot price of $64.50 a troy ounce. Each coin holds 0.0563 troy ounces of pure silver (5 grams at 35% silver). That is the value of the metal; a coin with collector value can be worth more.
Are 1942 nickels silver?
Only some. Nickels struck from mid-1942 on are the 35% silver war alloy and carry a large P, D or S mint mark above the dome on the reverse. Earlier 1942 nickels, with a small mint mark to the right of the building or none, are the regular copper-nickel alloy and worth face value.
How many times face value is a war nickel worth?
72.6 times face at today's spot: 5 cents of face value holds $3.63 of silver. Dealers often quote junk silver this way — "73 times face" — so the multiple is the quickest way to check whether a quote is near melt.
How can I tell if a war nickel is silver?
War nickels are the Jefferson nickels struck from mid-1942 through 1945 in an alloy of 35% silver, 56% copper and 9% manganese to save nickel for the war effort. They carry a large mint mark — P, D or S — above Monticello's dome on the reverse; 1942 nickels without that large mark are the ordinary nickel alloy.
Is any war nickel worth more than its silver?
War nickels were struck in large numbers and circulated nickels trade on their silver; uncirculated and full-step examples are the ones worth checking against a collector guide. Condition matters too: an uncirculated coin can carry a premium over melt even in a common date. Circulated common dates are worth their silver.
Related Reading
The other silver coins, and whole bags
Junk Silver Calculator
A bag or a mixed lot: enter face value or coin counts and get the melt value of the whole thing.
Silver Quarter Value
$11.66 in silver today — 0.1808 troy ounces, 1964 and earlier.
Silver Dime Value
$4.66 in silver today — 0.0723 troy ounces, 1964 and earlier.
Silver Half Dollar Value
$23.33 in silver today — 0.3617 troy ounces, 1964 and earlier.
Silver Price Per Gram
Today's silver price per gram and per kilo for fine, sterling and coin silver.