War Nickels

[fixxxer9]

I am currently search only nickels and cents (mainly due to my financial situation). I am hoping to find some war nickels some day but from what I have read they are relatively rare. I went to a couple LCS today just to see what they were selling for and they both were selling them for $1.50 a piece. I looked on coinflation and it said that they are worth about $1.70 in silver. Now I'm not searching rolls to find them so I can make money off them but is that normal for LCS to sell them lower than the silver price?

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

How to Research for Treasure Hunting and Metal Detecting From Lead Generation to Vetting - Grab it through Amazon!

[GarouLady]

the LCS might not have adjusted their prices for silver percentage like coinflation does. at least your LCS sells them. Mine doesn't otherwise I would buy from them.

Sincerely, Garoulady

 

[boristhespider88]

They sell for less because they are less desirable than 90% silver coins. My LCS buys them for $1 and doesn't sell them unless in rolls and even then he doesn't usually sell them.

 

[hokiemojo]

i believe it has to do with two factors. 1, it is illegal to melt the coins to take the silver out. 2, even if you could, it is more costly to purify it than it would be with 90%ers. I'd probably buy a few at that price. my LCS charges over $2.50 a piece.

 

[fixxxer9]

That makes sense. I bought 13 of them because they well probably be more desirable as silver prices rise. Maybe in 10 years or so. I will probably buy some more to get a couple rolls.

 

[Xiao en]

i believe it has to do with two factors. 1, it is illegal to melt the coins to take the silver out. 2, even if you could, it is more costly to purify it than it would be with 90%ers. I'd probably buy a few at that price. my LCS charges over $2.50 a piece.

I dont think it is illegal to melt down silver coins

 

[enamel7]

I dont think it is illegal to melt down silver coins

The war nickels are the exception.

 

[Thorne]

If your questioning finding them in the wild I would refer to cladsmoke hunting log. He finds in almost every box.

 

[ivan salis]

the 1942 to 1945 time frame US war nickles contain about 35% silver not enough to really get coin *scrap metal dealers interested --most do not like even dealing with 40% silver halfs that much and give fairly low prices when you sell em compared to 90% halves -- often you have to sell 3 40% by weight halfs at say $3 each (equal to 120%) to get about the same cash as 1 -90%er ($9) in many cases. --with that being the case-- 35% silver war nickles just don't get much "respect" silver wize

 

[Thorne]

I agree with the lack of respect. However it only takes 80c of nickels to equal an ounce where it takes roughly a Buck in dimes. I'd say just wait until you get a roll and sell for like 65-75

 

[mercury1]

War nickels are my most common silver to find. I search some of everything but its the war nicks that usually save me from the skunk. Searching boxes I have found 0 to 5. I usually find at least one per box and more often, 2 or 3. I have a theory that among the general public, war nicks are the least known silver coin. I do well searching cwr also. The one thing I don't like about searching nicks is they are harder for me to dump. My coin counter I use holds $200 in nicks, or two boxes worth so if I ramp up the volume my dump bank tellers can get a little cranky on me.

 

[Wilmingtonsilver]

It is not illegal to melt war nickels. Check out provision 82.2 section D http://www.usmint.gov/downloads/consumer/FederalRegisterNotice.pdf. Or nto since I will copy and paste for you. (d)The prohibition contained in § 82.1 against the exportation, melting, or treatment of 5-cent coins shall not apply to 5-cent coins inscribed with the years 1942, 1943, 1944, or 1945 that are composed of an alloy comprising copper, silver and manganese.

As for being more costly to purify, well, that is just malarkey. If you use a chemical method, it is the same process and the same amount of chemicals. The only difference is the percentage of silver, and that is all.

 

[kiggity]

I have played around with nickels from time to time and I have found 15 war nickels in $1160 searched. I have also found 18 buffalos and 4 V-nickels. I got lucky with someone's collection dump on a couple boxes, but I almost always find 1 war nickel per box. Much better than my halves have been lately.

 

[50cent]

It is not illegal to melt war nickels. Check out provision 82.2 section D http://www.usmint.gov/downloads/consumer/FederalRegisterNotice.pdf. Or nto since I will copy and paste for you. (d)The prohibition contained in § 82.1 against the exportation, melting, or treatment of 5-cent coins shall not apply to 5-cent coins inscribed with the years 1942, 1943, 1944, or 1945 that are composed of an alloy comprising copper, silver and manganese.

As for being more costly to purify, well, that is just malarkey. If you use a chemical method, it is the same process and the same amount of chemicals. The only difference is the percentage of silver, and that is all.

Good 411, didn't know that war-nicks could be melted.

Someone needs to melt some war nicks, so they can cast a 90% silver nickel

 

[CladSmoke]

I do pretty good with war nickels from MWR. If you're in it for the money.. Just buy them, it's about 10x cheaper that way. I just like the thrill of the hunt!

 

[kfs]

If you're in it for the money.. Just buy them, it's about 10x cheaper that way.

I am just curious what do you mean just buy them it's 10X cheaper

 

[Thorne]

I am just curious what do you mean just buy them it's 10X cheaper

Agreed. I am already going to the bank when I get my box of nickels so its 0 extra gas also my dump bank is on my way home so .01 Gallons there so for me a war nickel costs me at most 7 cents

 

[CladSmoke]

Well I usually make my rounds to approximately 6 banks picking up my orders. Then I have 3 banks I drive to to dump the previous search. Add the time and gas up for that and I would be farther ahead to just to to the LCS and buy 20 nickels. But like I said, I do it for the thrill of the hunt. I'm not trying to discourage any of you. Just saying you won't get rich doing it. Right now I am at my dump bank waiting on them to change a bag out of the counter. It's my 4th bag today. I really think they hate me lol

 

[Thorne]

Lolz.

 

[rfishoutofwater]

I do 2 boxes a week for the last few years and am averaging 1 per box. I find more war nicks then buffaloes.