War Nickel melt value & silver content
1942–1945 · 35% silver · 0.05626 troy oz of pure silver per coin.
What a War Nickel is worth
The melt value of a War Nickel is its 0.05626 troy oz of pure silver multiplied by the silver spot price. It contains 35% silver, and at a face value of $0.05 that works out to 1.1252 troy oz of silver for every dollar of face value. The calculator above uses the current spot price, so the figure it shows is what the silver in the coin is worth right now.
Melt value is a floor, not a price. A War Nickel in collectible grade, or a scarce date, can be worth well above its silver. Dealers also buy under melt and sell over it — the spread is how they make money, so expect to pay a premium buying and receive a discount selling.
What a War Nickel works out to
| Quantity | Silver | Melt value |
|---|---|---|
| One coin | 0.05626 oz | — |
| A troy ounce of silver | 17.8 coins | — |
| $1.00 of face value | 20 coins | — |
| A roll of 40 | 2.250 oz | — |
Melt value updates with the spot price above.
Silver standards in United States
United States silver coinage ran at 90% fine through 1964. Half dollars continued at 40% from 1965 to 1970, and nothing struck for circulation after that carries silver.
Because dimes, quarters and halves were all struck to the same standard, a dollar of face value in any mix of them holds the same silver — about 0.715 troy oz once circulated. That constant is what this site is named after.
Other nickels
715 for iPhone & Android
Your whole stack, priced every time you open it
Checking a War Nickel at a coin shop? The app keeps the running total so you don't have to, and it works at the counter without a signal.
- A ledger with melt value, pure ounces and count — always current
- A deal checker: how far over or under melt any price lands
- Bullion, bars and rounds, plus any custom piece by weight
Free to start · no account · $3.99/year for the full ledger and every theme
