Melt Prices

US · silver · 1942–1945

Jefferson war nickel melt value

One coin holds 0.05626 oz of pure silver (ASW = actual silver weight). At today’s silver price of $66.01 per troy oz, melt is $3.71.

Usually near melt — Common circulated pieces of this type are typically bought and sold close to silver. Exceptional condition or a scarce date can still bring more.

Silver spot
$66.01 / troy oz

Spot as of Sep 6, 2026 10:00 PM · $1 move in silver changes this coin by $0.06

Gold
$4,410.40
 Platinum
$1,805.00
 Palladium
$1,383.00
Melt / coin$3.71
Silver spot$66.01
ASW0.05626 oz
Gross weight5.000 g
Fineness35%
Gross troy oz0.1608
Face$0.05
Coins / oz17.77

Figure yours

Count the pieces. A roll of this type varies.

Pure oz 0.5626
Melt $37.10

If a buyer pays a percent of melt

$25.97 at 70% of melt

Starts at 70% — a common shop bid on generic metal. Not a quote. Drag or tap a percent to sanity-check an offer.

Open stack

What this coin is

The Jefferson war nickel (1942–1945) is 35% silver, 56% copper, 9% manganese. 5.00 g, 0.05626 oz ASW. The only US nickel with silver.

What is written on the coin

MONTICELLO, FIVE CENTS, and a large P, D, or S mintmark above the dome on the reverse. 1942 nickels without that large reverse mintmark are not silver.

Metal content (the melt spec)

Mint specification: 5.0000 grams at 35% fine, which is 0.05626 troy oz of pure silver (ASW). Formula: grams × fineness ÷ 31.1034768. Date and mintmark do not change that number. Melt today is $3.71 per coin at $66.01 silver.

Mintage

High wartime mintages. Usually near melt. Full steps and gem examples can bring more.

A little history

Nickel metal was diverted in World War II. Silver-manganese alloy 1942–1945 only.

How to tell you have this type

Large mintmark over Monticello. That is the silver flag. Ordinary Jefferson nickels are copper-nickel.

Date and mintmark do not change the metal on this page. Collector value is a different market — see Sold Comps for sold prices.

Before you sell

Usually near melt

Weigh or count by face for a bag. Pull anything that looks proof, uncirculated, or an odd date before selling the rest as 90% silver.

Melt is the metal floor. For auction and eBay solds on the same type, see Sold Comps. We list 355 melt values; collector premiums are a different market.

Quick amounts

Using $66.01 silver.

You havePure ozMelt
1 coin 0.0563 $3.71
10 coins 0.5626 $37.14
20 coins 1.1252 $74.27

Silver chart

Where silver has been.

All four metals · Every silver type

Melt alert

Email me if this coin’s melt crosses a number I set.

Related types

Same metal, nearby coins.

Seated Liberty half dime 1837–1873 · 0.03877 ASW $2.56 Flowing Hair half dime 1794–1795 · 0.03845 ASW $2.54 Draped Bust half dime 1796–1805 · 0.03873 ASW $2.56 Capped Bust half dime 1829–1837 · 0.03873 ASW $2.56 Gettysburg half 1936 · 0.36170 ASW $23.88 Antietam half 1937 · 0.36170 ASW $23.88 US commemorative silver dollar (modern) 1983–date · 0.77345 ASW $51.06 Civil War commemorative dollar 1995 · 0.77345 ASW $51.06

Questions people ask

How much pure silver is in a Jefferson war nickel?

Mint spec is 5.000 grams at 35% fine, which is 0.05626 troy oz of pure silver (ASW). Date and mintmark do not change that.

What is a Jefferson war nickel worth in melt today?

At silver spot of $66.01 per troy oz, one coin’s melt is $3.71. Multiply by how many you have. A rare date or a nice grade can sell for more than melt.

How many Jefferson war nickels equal one ounce of silver?

About 17.77 coins equal 1.00 troy oz of pure silver at mint weight.

Does mintmark change the melt value?

No. A Philadelphia, Denver, or San Francisco coin of this type has the same metal. Melt is type × composition, not date or mintmark.

Is melt what I should sell this Jefferson war nickel for?

Common circulated pieces of this type are typically bought and sold close to silver. Exceptional condition or a scarce date can still bring more. Weigh or count by face for a bag. Pull anything that looks proof, uncirculated, or an odd date before selling the rest as 90% silver.

← All silver types · Full catalog

Share