Dave H. writes:Â I have a 1945 nickel with an “s” on the back. What is this worth?
In 1942 the U.S. government feared a shortage of copper for the war effort. Congress decided to change the alloy in the nickel from 75% copper and 25% nickel to an alloy of 56% copper, 35% silver and 9% manganese. To signify the change in alloy a large mint mark was placed above Monticello on the reverse of the coin (S=San Francisco Mint, D=Denver Mint, P=Philadelphia Mint). Even the Philadelphia mint which was usually not represented by a mint mark, was represented by a large “P”. The use of the war-time alloy continued through 1945 when the original alloy was reinstated.
Note that in 1943 the cent lost its copper and was replaced by zinc coated steel. It is not widely known, but in the last years of WW II, whole companies of troops would “police” the battlefields and pick up the brass remaining from cartridges and shells. From 1944 to 1946 one cent coins were made from these cartridge casings.
The value of war time nickels depends on condition but even circulated or damaged pieces are worth more than face value. The coins contain .05626 troy oz. of pure silver.
