Hello, i found this coin online for a seemingly good price, and I am wondering if it has any silver content. It is a 1951 5 centimes from costa Rica
Google is your friend... https://www.ngccoin.com/price-guide/world/costa-rica-5-centimos-km-a184-1951-cuid-12800-duid-43539 http://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces2983.html
Uh...I wish I had a plated dime for every Cu-Ni coin I pulled out of a junk box thinking they were silver.
While I agree that, as is the case with the OP coin, "looks" can be indicative, I must strongly disagree with the latter part of your post, and mostly because it was said as a blanket statement. Unfortunately, it simply isn't that across-the-board easy.
Struck in Philly for Costa Rica? I'm not a history buff so wondering why? Or did I read this wrong? From an NGC internet page: Composition: Copper-Nickel Weight: 1.0000g DESIGN Obverse: National arms, ribbon above, date below Reverse: Denomination within wreath, B.C.C.R. below NOTES Note: Struck in Philadelphia, 1952. Numismatic specification data and valuation estimates provided byKrause Publications NumisMaster. Find more coin values at NumisMaster.com
The US struck a lot of world coins, but US collectors don't really pay attention to these except for the Philippine and Panamanian issues