Question on Canadian nickels

[Gareb]

I got a question on the pre 82 nickels. I've got 2 68's, 2 79's and a 75. All of them stick to a magnet. I've got several that fall into the post 82 area, none of them stick to the magnet.
Then I have 2 2000, one sticks one does not. The only difference that I see is the one that sticks has a P on the queen side. The other does not. The one with the P sticks.
I thought nickel was non magnetic, am I wrong on this And why the difference with the 2000P and 2000 plain?? I know nothing on canadian coins.
Thanks,
Mike

 

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[madwest]

Nickel, the element, is magnetic. Cupro-Nickel, of which the 5-cent US coin is made, is not magnetic. 1982 - 1999 Canadian 5-cent coins were also Cupro-Nickel. Starting in 2000, the Canadian 5-cent coin became plated steel. The plated steel version is also magnetic.

 

[Gareb]

Nickel, the element, is magnetic. Cupro-Nickel, of which the 5-cent US coin is made, is not magnetic. 1982 - 1999 Canadian 5-cent coins were also Cupro-Nickel. Starting in 2000, the Canadian 5-cent coin became plated steel. The plated steel version is also magnetic.

I guess that is the reason then. I had it reversed. Thanks for the insight.

 

[That Canadian Guy]

Nickel, the element, is magnetic. Cupro-Nickel, of which the 5-cent US coin is made, is not magnetic. 1982 - 1999 Canadian 5-cent coins were also Cupro-Nickel. Starting in 2000, the Canadian 5-cent coin became plated steel. The plated steel version is also magnetic.

This is spot on. The P stands for plated and is magnetic. Both compositions were issued in 2000 and 2001.

 

[Canadian hunter]

I got a question on the pre 82 nickels. I've got 2 68's, 2 79's and a 75. All of them stick to a magnet. I've got several that fall into the post 82 area, none of them stick to the magnet.
Then I have 2 2000, one sticks one does not. The only difference that I see is the one that sticks has a P on the queen side. The other does not. The one with the P sticks.
I thought nickel was non magnetic, am I wrong on this And why the difference with the 2000P and 2000 plain?? I know nothing on canadian coins.
Thanks,
Mike

Well done Mike, you've got 0.05 pound of pure .999 nickel. Each pre 82 nickel is magnetic, made up of pure nickel and weights exactly 4.54g each. So 100 of pre 82 nickels give you one pound of bullion nickel. 1982-2001 are cu-ni composition and are non-magnetic. 2000P, 2001P and later are steel nickels, they are magnetic as well. Most of pure nickel and steel nickels are being pulled from US circulation when poured through magnet in most coin counters.
The 2000P nickel is pretty cool. Its mintage was not as high as usual in that decade (4.9 million coins- 2000P compared to 107 million coins- 2000 no P/non magnetic). I think this coin will worth a lot more in 20 years than now.