JarSort · Inherited coin values
War nickel value 1942–1945
War nickels are the only Jefferson nickels with silver in them. From 1942 to 1945, nickel was needed for the war effort, so the Mint struck five-cent coins in 35% silver instead. Each one holds 0.0563 troy ounces of silver — $3.03 of metal at the Oct 24, 2026 spot price of $53.80 per ounce — and circulated examples sell for $3.20–$3.50.
The three numbers that matter
Prices as of Oct 24, 2026 · Silver spot $53.80/ozt (Kitco) · Circulated, common date, problem-free, raw (uncertified) unless stated
NGC melt $3.04 on Oct 24, 2026 (12:20 PM EST) cross-checks the $3.03 figure. All figures Oct 24, 2026.
How to tell a war nickel from a regular nickel
Look at the reverse: a war nickel has a large P, D, or S mint mark above Monticello — the big building on the back. No other Jefferson nickel has its mint mark there. A 1942 nickel without that large mint mark is a regular copper-nickel coin worth five cents, not a war nickel: 1942 was struck in both compositions, so the mint mark position decides it.
What about the rest of the jar?
War nickels are the classic jar find because they look exactly like ordinary nickels until you flip them over. If you found one, check every other nickel in the jar the same way — they were spent as ordinary money for decades, and a jar often holds several.
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