Is this coin counterfeit?

[BuffaloBoy]

I opened a roll of nickels and out pops a 1945 nickel(should be a silver war nickel with the mint mark above the dome on the reverse)

 

[Digger]

I think in 1945 they split the year. First part of 1945 was 40% silver then they went back to old style.

 

[BuffaloBoy]

I think in 1945 they split the year. First part of 1945 was 40% silver then they went back to old style.

thanks for the response, it is not a split year, they split the war nickels in 1942:

1942 non-silver= 50,000,000 minted
1942-d non-silver= 14,000,000 minted.

1942-p silver= 58,000,000 minted
1942-s silver= 33,000,000 minted.

they did not make 1942d silvers- those are counterfeit. the solid years they made 35% silver war nickels were 1943-1945 and then 1946 was back to normal .

 

[captainfwiffo]

All the 1945 nickels were silver. There was a famous case of a counterfeiter named Francis LeRoy Henning who made fake nickels with several different dates. He got caught because his 1944 counterfeit didn't have the distinctive mintmark. Henning nickels can actually be found in circulation and are collectible, but I don't think he made a 1945.

That nickel looks pretty abused - it may just be that the mintmark is no longer visible because of wear.

 

[DrDetector]

It appears to be damaged from salt water or some other corrosive force. You can actually see the 'S' mint mark vaguely.

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

It appears to be damaged from salt water or some other corrosive force. You can actually see the 'S' mint mark vaguely.

I see what you are talking about..but that coin looks like its been thru H&LL

Did you check to see if its Silver?

 

[fistfulladirt]

The captain had some good info, and I agree, worn off!

 

[quiksilver]

Do the drop sound test or try some nic-a-date

 

[MentalUnrest]

The S is there. Very worn and hard to see, but I can see it.

 

[captainfwiffo]

Would nic-a-date work on the silver alloy?

 

[CHAINCHOMP]

ya, i agree...i see a definite "S"...nice find! keep it up and hh! [R.I.P. Rich Hartford]

 

[kleinerschmitter]

I too can see the slight snake curve of an "S", well at least that means silver...

 

[FreedomUIC]

I think in 1945 they split the year. First part of 1945 was 40% silver then they went back to old style.

I thought all war nickels were 35% silver.

 

[enamel7]

I think in 1945 they split the year. First part of 1945 was 40% silver then they went back to old style.

I thought all war nickels were 35% silver.

You are correct. 35% not forty percent.
HH
enamel7

 

[byrne3]

My vote is for struck counterfeit..

It wouldn't be a Henning. Those were minted to be passed off as face value around the same time period as the original mintage. Struck counterfeits were minted decades later, not to be passed as face, but to fool collectors.

A mold is created with a genuine coin. The coin looks like it's About Uncirculated with Fine details (from the host coin). The wear is coming from the host coin, not the coin you have.

I don't have the coin in front of me, but from what I can see I would say counterfeit.. sorry

 

[santafeboy]

Why would someone counterfeit a nickel? At least go for the big bucks like dimes

 

[Generic_Lad]

War nickels really aren't collectible for more than silver content which makes it an odd choice to be struck counterfeit. Personally I'd do a ring test on it and see if it sounds silver, even toasted silver will still sound like silver. I agree with the salt water theory.

 

[BuffaloBoy]

thanks all for the reply, I will consider it a silver nickel- even if it is counterfeit, interesting coin. War nickels really do not work well for the silver ping, it sounds like a normal nickel... I did get a 1936 buffalo out of the box as well, at least got 2 keepers! HH

 

[captainfwiffo]

1936 must be the 1964 of Buffalos. More than half of mine have been '36, and everybody else seems to be getting them too.

 

[santafeboy]

1936 must be the 1964 of Buffalos. More than half of mine have been '36, and everybody else seems to be getting them too.

I found my first crh Buffalo Friday a 1936