Silver "War" nickels were manufactured from 56% copper, 35% silver and 9% manganese. This allowed the saved nickel metal to be shifted to industrial production of miltary supplies during World War II. In 1945, approximately 119 million coins were produced at the Philadelphia Mint, 37 million coins were produced at the Denver Mint and about 59 million coins were made at the San Francisco Mint.
Wartime events of 1945 include: Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin meet at Yalta Conference (February 4), American flag raised at Iwo Jima (February 23), Hilter commits suicide in his bunker (April 30), V-E Day (May 8), V-J Day (August 15).
The silver content of these coins means they have greater inherent value than traditionally produced nickels, but they can still be easily added to your coin collection, either by finding them in pocket change (a rare but not impossible occurrence), by trading with other collectors or by obtaining low price specimens from dealers.
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Bust of Thomas Jefferson on obverse
view of the 1945 Silver Nickel.
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