War nickel...made of nickel??

[Gridwalker306]

I dug up this nickel tonight. It rang up consistently in the low 50's on my AT Pro, which is normal for nickels. However, being a 1943 means it should have silver in it, and shouldn't corrode like this. It's my first "war nickel", so I have no other ones to compare to. Are there records of any 1943 P nickels that were accidentally made without the silver content?

 

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[idahotokens]

I don't believe so. However, the Redbook states, "Genuine pieces of other wartime dates struck in nickel in error are known to exist." A rather cryptic sentence, IMO. The Wartime (1942-45) composition was 56% copper, 35% silver, and 9% manganese, compared to the 75% copper, 25% nickel composition for other years of the Jefferson nickels.
John in the Great 208

 

[Gridwalker306]

Thanks for the reply. Something is surely strange with this nickel. How do the majority of dug war nickels look? Anybody else have one that is corroded and chafing like this?

 

[Plug]

That looks consistent with copper corrosion. Remember, they are only 35% silver.

 

[MrSchulz]

Looks the same to me. The manganese acts very strange when circulated, looks like it sat in the dirt for a while, then got chipped up in circulation.

 

[lastleg]

Manganese is not a good companion with silver. Most dug ones have spots that look like road tar. They can be cleaned up though.

 

[Gridwalker306]

Might be a good candidate for electrolisys?

 

[lastleg]

Naw, there are other ways to clean them without chemicals or electro.