---
title: "War Nickel Value: Which 1942 to 1945 Nickels Are Silver"
description: "1942 to 1945 war nickels with a large mint mark over Monticello are 35% silver. Melt value, retail values, the 1943/2-P overdate and how to spot them."
canonical: https://dimehound.app/coins/war-nickel-value/
author: Mike Moore
published: 2026-10-08
modified: 2026-10-08
values_checked: Oct 8, 2026
---

# War Nickel Value: Which 1942 to 1945 Nickels Are Silver

By Mike Moore. Published Oct 8, 2026. Updated Oct 8, 2026. Canonical page: https://dimehound.app/coins/war-nickel-value/

Jefferson nickels with a large P, D or S above Monticello on the back are wartime nickels made of 35% silver. Each holds 0.0563 oz of silver, about $3.32 at today's price, and worn ones retail around $4 to $6. The 1943/2-P overdate is the big find, from about $27 worn to $793 in gem condition.

- **Composition:** 56% copper, 35% silver, 9% manganese. 0.0563 oz of pure silver.
- **Dates:** Mid 1942 through 1945. Eleven regular issues: 1942-P, 1942-S, and P, D and S for 1943, 1944 and 1945.
- **Mint mark:** Large letter above the dome of Monticello on the back. This was the first time a P was used.

**Melt value: $3.32.** Based on 0.05626 oz of silver at $59.00 per ounce on Oct 8, 2026. Melt value moves with the silver price every day.

## Value by grade

**War nickel retail values by grade**

| Coin | G4 | VF20 | AU50 | MS60 | MS65 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1942-P silver | $3.77 | $6.15 | $7.49 | $11.17 | $27 |
| 1943-P | $4.09 | $5.89 | $7.49 | $9.82 | $27 |
| 1943/2-P overdate | $27 | $63 | $209 | $347 | $793 |
| 1945-P doubled die reverse | $15 | $27 | $59 | $105 | $500 |
| 1944-P, D, S | $3.77 | $5.89 | $7.49 to $8.16 | $9.82 to $11.17 | $29 to $40 |

Retail values from USA Coin Book. Values checked Oct 8, 2026.

## What to look for

- Flip it over. A big P, D or S above the dome means silver. A small mint mark beside Monticello means a regular nickel.
- Some 1942 nickels are the regular copper-nickel alloy. A 1942 with no mint mark or a small D beside the building is not silver.
- Wartime nickels often tone darker and grayer than regular nickels.
- On 1943-P coins, look at the 3 with a loupe for traces of a 2 underneath. That is the overdate.

## Fakes and lookalikes

- Contemporary counterfeit 1944 nickels with no mint mark exist. Every real 1944 nickel has a large mint mark over the dome.

## Find my keepers

Dime Hound is a coin scanner for iPhone and Android. Join the waitlist at https://dimehound.app/coins/war-nickel-value/#keepers and we'll email you once, the day it launches.

## FAQ

### How much silver is in a war nickel?

0.0563 oz, worth about $3.32 at $59.00 an ounce on Oct 8, 2026.

### Why are some 1942 nickels not silver?

The switch to the silver alloy happened partway through 1942. Early 1942 and 1942-D nickels are regular copper-nickel.

### Are war nickels rare?

No. Hundreds of millions were made. They are worth more than face because of the silver, not because they are scarce.

### What is the most valuable war nickel?

Among ones you might find, the 1943/2-P overdate. In top grades with full steps on Monticello, any date can bring a premium.

## Related coins

- [1964 Dime Value: What Yours Is Worth](https://dimehound.app/coins/1964-dime-value/)
- [1964 Quarter Value: What Yours Is Worth](https://dimehound.app/coins/1964-quarter-value/)
- [Buffalo Nickel Value: Which 1913 to 1938 Nickels Are Worth Money](https://dimehound.app/coins/buffalo-nickel-value/)
- [2005-D Speared Bison Nickel Value: What Yours Is Worth](https://dimehound.app/coins/2005-speared-bison-nickel-value/)
- [1943 Steel Penny Value: What Yours Is Worth](https://dimehound.app/coins/1943-steel-penny-value/)

## Sources

1. [USA Coin Book, Jefferson nickel values](https://www.usacoinbook.com/coins/nickels/jefferson/)
2. [CoinWeek, how to identify war nickels](https://coinweek.com/war-nickel-how-to-identify-these-valuable-nickels/)
3. [PCGS, collecting Jefferson wartime nickels](https://www.pcgs.com/news/collecting-a-short-set-of-jefferson-wartime-nickels)
4. [PCGS CoinFacts, 1943/2-P 5C](https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/4019)
5. [Yahoo Finance, silver price Oct 8, 2026 (silver price for melt value)](https://finance.yahoo.com/personal-finance/investing/article/silver-price-today-thursday-october-8-2026-silver-prices-slip-to-august-levels-after-wallers-rising-rates-comments-110829225.html)
6. [Fortune, silver price Oct 8, 2026 (silver price for melt value)](https://fortune.com/article/current-price-of-silver-10-8-2026/)

Values are retail estimates or recorded sale prices from the sources above, checked Oct 8, 2026. What a dealer pays you is usually less than retail. Silver spot traded between about $58.70 and $60.40 on Oct 8, 2026. We use $59.00 an ounce for melt math.