This means WAR! nickels that is.

I am not a fan of war, but I am a fan of war nickels.
Between 1942-1945, the government used 35% silver, 56% Copper, and 9% Maganese for the nickels instead of the usual 75% copper and 25% nickel.
Since silver does react more than nickel, many beautiful toned war nickels exist. That's not to say there aren't beautiful clad nickel toners.
Generally they have beautiful strikes and mega luster. But really, I like them all. I'll take them crusty colored, rainbow colored, gold colored..whatever!
Here is a nice array of war nickels:

Lovely:


Love the crusty album toning:

Dripping luster:

Brown and gold toning with a nice finger print? That's ok!

Is this ugly or what? Nope it's not:


These nickels are a fairly inexpensive way to break into the Jefferson series. You can find stunning (complete) sets of the silver series, usually the ones in the plastic capital holders, for less than $100.

-greg

 

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They are quite a series and in my estimation a little underrated for years. I have several myself, probably more in the crusty album variety for they are a personal favorite.

 

I like this thread, and it died too soon. Ill call this a bump, not reviving. I would also like to point out that though war is not always good, there are some really interesting battles from HISTORY. Think spartan stand of 300. anyway, BUMP

 

Where's Lehigh when you need him?

Nice coins!

 

p.s. coin #2 looks more like roll toning than album toning to me.

 

Do you want people to post their's?

 

You may be right!

 

Absolutely Ethan. I like other peoples nickels just as much a I like mine.
Like kookoox said, a very underrated series. I think it's a great way to break into collecting at a reasonable price. I can't think of another type (less some moderns) where someone can put together a 200 coin uncirculated set for the price. Mainly because most are clad. It can get very pricey if you start chasing full steps for a lot of years.

 

this is kinda related - but a friend of mind recently bought a bunch of war nickels but when I took a look at them I saw that some of them were not silver - he had thought all the 1942s were silver but there are some that are not (the philadelphia that doesnt have the large P on the back and I think also the ones from Denver). Just an added thought in case it helps anyone from paying 2 bucks for silver value and theyre just copper nickel - Im a fan too! Not of war as mentioned above... just the nickel

 

You are partially correct! In 1942, two types were produced. Type 1 from Philly is clad, and there is also a silver Philly which is called type 2. The type 1 is one of the more pricey nickels in MS grades. Like you said...The 1942 Type 2 is easily identifiable from the large mint mark above the Monticello on the reverse.

 

okay then... The second coin has nice gold toning

 

nice nickels

i am trying to complete my war nickel set to.
Have 3 so far.

going to dig up the pic's

 

these are mine.
Long not as good looking like yours, but i am happy with them.
Now i am trying to get them all, and after that i can upgrade when i want.

 

You rang?

What is not to like about Jefferson War Nickels. This short series has it all. There are blast white coins for those so inclined and outrageously toned examples for the toning enthusiasts. There are Doubled Dies (1943-P Doubled Eye & 1945-P DDR) and an overdate (1943/2-P). A raw gem collection can cost you a few hundred dollars or you can assemble a top pop full step registry set for many thousands of dollars.

Premium gem war nickels have been my passion for a while now and I have my eye on the top spot in the NGC registry. It would be nice to knock Bressler off after 7 years. Every coin in my collection is at least MS67. The collection includes an MS68, 2 MS67+'s, 7 star designations, and 3 full step examples. Here is a photo of the Atlantic City Set of Jefferson War Nickels.

 

Nickels are an alloy not a clad process. Cladding involves bonding of a dissimilar metal or alloy to a surface.
An alloy is of uniform composition throughout. Post 1964 circulating dimes, quarters and halves are clad.
All U. S. nickles (war time or not) are alloyed as are pre 1982 cents and pre-65 dimes, quarters, halves, dollars and gold coins.

BTW the cladding process bonds the three layers by a the use of an explosive between the layers to "weld" the three layers together.

 

I have a few nice circulated war nickels

 

Oops, sorry about that. Force of habit that I call them clad .

 

Great, now I have an article to go hunt down.

 

i have a bunch of nice war nickel toners. just wish i could take good pictures of coins. some are subtle some are wild. graded and raw. i really like war nickels. :thumb: i was able to find
some that have pictures from the auctions i won them from

.

 

urban..that 44 D is awesome. Whats the grade? Oh man, I can see some of those others have rainbows.