1942–1945 Jefferson War Nickel 40-pc Roll

A Roll Of Patriotic Nickels That Helped Win World War II

Though America’s 5-cent Nickel coin gets its name from its traditional metal contents, there was a time when the coin contained no nickel at all! That’s because during World War II, our nation’s coinage did more than just line the pockets of citizens on the home front going about their business. They also helped us win the war. Perhaps the most famous example of this is the Jefferson “War Nickel,” struck from 1942 to 1945. Because nickel was a valuable component in guns, tanks and airplanes, these coins were struck for the very first time in 35% fine silver since the metal was less valuable to the war effort.

The U.S. Mint Does Its Part In The War Effort

Because nickel was so valuable to the war effort, hoarding the metal to strike coins would have been an incredibly unpatriotic, and potentially dangerous, thing for the United States Mint to do! Instead, the mint stepped up and donated its nickel supply, helping win the war and giving us a unique variety of Jefferson Nickel. To help identify these unique “War Nickels” from non-silver nickels, a prominent distinguishing feature in the form of very large mintmarks were added above the dome of Monticello on the coin’s reverse. This also represented the very first time the letter “P” was used as a mintmark on a U.S. coin!

Silver nickels were minted from 1942 until the war ended in 1945, at all three U.S. Mints—Denver, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. Among the circulated nickels in this 40-piece roll is at least one vintage coin from each U.S. Mint for a spectacular and very important collection! Secure yours now!

COIN HIGHLIGHTS:

• PATRIOTIC WARTIME NICKELS – Due to the need for nickel for the war effort, the United States Mint changed the composition of Jefferson Nickels struck from 1942-1945. This 40-coin “roll” of the 1942–1945 “War Nickels” contains at least one coin from each U.S. Min that struck these coins: Denver, Philadelphia, and San Francisco.
• FIRST TIME “P” MINTMARK USED – To help easily differentiate wartime nickels struck at the Philadelphia Mint from non-wartime Nickels, a special “P” mintmark was used for the first time on a U.S. Coin.
• FIRST – AND ONLY – NICKELS STRUCK WITH SILVER – Nickels issued only from 1942 to 1945 were struck with 35% silver, the first—and only—time nickels contained silver in their composition.
• LEGAL TENDER U.S. COINAGE – Each War Nickel is five cents legal tender in the United States and measures 21.2 mm in diameter.
• CIRCULATED CONDITION – These 1942–1945 “War Nickels” all come in Circulated condition, meaning that were actually used by American citizens on the Home Front during World War II. .

The U.S. Mint came to the rescue during World War II, and these 1942–1945 “War Nickels are the proof. No U.S. or World War II coin collection is complete without them!