Nickel Experts ............1944-P Non-Silver Warnickel ???

Smittys · January 17, 2011 8:22AM

My friend was helping me to sort and 2x2 nickels when he asked me about the "grade" on this one.
This nickel is not silver looks like any other regular nickel.
What say you?

Obiwancanoli · January 17, 2011 8:29AM

I think that's a silver nickel alright... 35% silver, anyway...

You know this because of the mintmark at the top of the reverse...

If there's no mintmark, it's fake...

Check it out here...

shadargroup · January 17, 2011 9:59AM

I think he is wondering if is actually might NOT be silver.. In the Redbook, it says "Genuine pieces of wartime dates struck in nickel by error are known to exist."

It does look more like the nickel ones that the silver.. IMHO. Might be worth a grading send.. How can you tell? The weights are the same, according to what I see in the Redbook.

If that is nickel.. wow.. that would be QUITE the find!

sinin1 · January 17, 2011 10:23AM

I wonder if they have the same tone when ringed -
the 90% silver has a distinctive ring

as do all struck coins I have heard

I will try it in next day

ProofArtworkonCircs · January 17, 2011 10:30AM

Why does Mr. Jeffferson have doubled lips?

shadargroup · January 17, 2011 10:28PM

I am hoping there is another way to tell with a BU coin what is it made of, Can you "ring" it on a soft surface, as not to ding it? ;-)

<< I wonder if they have the same tone when ringed -
the 90% silver has a distinctive ring

as do all struck coins I have heard

I will try it in next day >>

MICHAELDIXON · January 17, 2011 11:19PM

The date on this coin looks odd to me.

SullivanNumismatics · January 17, 2011 11:53PM

It looks like "nickel" to me, not silver, but of course you have to do a SG test to find out for sure (or send it to NGC for a metallurgic analysis.) I would definitely look into it throughly, though, because there are transitional off-metals known for the war nickel series, where a normal "nickel" planchet was struck instead of the correct manganese/silver planchet. They're very valuable! The last one I ever saw was a well worn example. Can't remember what date the one I saw was though.

Jon

jmcu12 · January 17, 2011 11:53PM

The best way would be to perform a specific gravity test. Silver nickels will have a different SG than those made of nickel.

Smittys · January 18, 2011 12:12AM

On it's way to NGC got my finger's crossed.

sinin1 · January 18, 2011 12:39AM

paying the extra $75 for metal composition?

Smittys · January 18, 2011 12:46AM

<< paying the extra $75 for metal composition? >>

Talking to them this morning they said add 10.00 for error, but phone umber included for further discussion if needed.

RWB · January 18, 2011 12:52AM

Good luck!!

Things were very stressed at the Mints during the war, so almost anything could have happened. In SF, high school kids ran the cent and nickel presses on weekends and during the summer - don't know about Philadelphia, which had a less serious labor problem.

PerryHall · January 18, 2011 1:41AM

Save your money. By 1944 all of the copper-nickel planchets were long used up.

Tdec1000 · January 18, 2011 1:56AM

<< Save your money. By 1944 all of the copper-nickel planchets were long used up. >>

It could have been struck on a foreign planchet. FWIW it doesn't look like silver/manganese to me either! Good Luck

johnny9434 · January 18, 2011 4:08AM

something does look off on it. im just not sure what yet thou ?

coolest · January 18, 2011 4:36AM

Can you get an accurate weight?
I would be suprized if the silver coins had the same weight as the nickle coins.

NumisOxide · January 18, 2011 4:45AM

That would be an awesome find!Goodluck!

JamesMurray · January 18, 2011 4:51AM

<< Can you get an accurate weight?
I would be suprized if the silver coins had the same weight as the nickle coins. >>

They both weigh 5 grams

PerryHall · January 18, 2011 5:08AM

<< 

<< Can you get an accurate weight?
I would be suprized if the silver coins had the same weight as the nickle coins. >>

They both weigh 5 grams >>

The mint would want the wartime alloy to weigh the same or very close to the prewar alloy so that the coins would work in the vending machines of that time.

Peaceman · January 18, 2011 7:37AM

This reminded me of a coin I have.... Do I own my first counterfiet?

coindeuce · January 18, 2011 8:14AM

Wouldn't the nickel composition of a non silver Jefferson be high enough to make it magnetic? Did you try a simple magnet test?

mingot · January 18, 2011 8:18AM

<< This reminded me of a coin I have.... Do I own my first counterfiet? >>

Why do you think it's a fake?

57loaded · January 18, 2011 8:48AM

to the OP's picture...

the war nickels can have an almost salmon albeit very light patina to them.
i see that in your photo, unless the color/hue saturation is way off.

i think it's 35% silver.

try the bounce test for sound, although i've never done it with war nickels, "it" should still be there.

kevinstang · January 18, 2011 9:07AM

<< This reminded me of a coin I have.... Do I own my first counterfiet?

>>

The Hennig nickels ( I believe that was his name) were 1944, no P over dome. He made other years as well. Something about the R in E Pluribus unum was messed up as well. Your nickel above looks like a regular 1942 nickel- they made both types in '42 nickel and silver wartime issue.

clackamas · January 18, 2011 9:10AM

Looks like a Silver war Jeff to me, it has the right look IMO.

WoodenJefferson · January 18, 2011 9:30AM

I have seen 100's of Silver War time nickels turn/tone just like that 44-P, some even turn a ugly black, it's a war time composition nickel.

The 42-P is just that, a common worn out 42-P

Peaceman · January 18, 2011 9:43AM

Ahhhhhh... see, I learned something today.... that being both normal and silver coins were minted in that year..... THX guys.

Aegis3 · January 18, 2011 11:56AM

<< Save your money. By 1944 all of the copper-nickel planchets were long used up. >>

1944 nickels on CuNi blanks do exist, but of course are rather rare. Look at the Heritage archives for at least two examples.

ProofArtworkonCircs · January 18, 2011 2:10PM

<Wouldn't the nickel composition of a non silver Jefferson be high enough to make it magnetic?>

No.

astrorat · January 18, 2011 2:15PM

<< try the bounce test for sound, although i've never done it with war nickels, "it" should still be there. >>

Ah ... you beat me to it. The sound of the coin bouncing off of a hard surface will be different for the "silver" nickels and the copper-nickel alloy nickel. Be sure to use a positive and and a negative control.

Save your NGC grading fee ... for now.

Lane

sinin1 · January 18, 2011 2:18PM

I ringed both and bounced both

and they sound the same to me

astrorat · January 18, 2011 3:48PM

<< I ringed both and bounced both

and they sound the same to me >>

Really? Perhaps my memory is a little faulty then. Besides color differences, I recall separating the war nickels based on sound (just like with bronze versus copper-plated cents).

Frankcoins · January 18, 2011 10:01PM

Looks Copper-Nickel from the strike. Silver nickels generally are more sharply struck.

sinin1 · January 19, 2011 2:42PM

if the weights are the same, and the size are the same,

does that mean the specific gravity is the same?

Tdec1000 · January 19, 2011 3:22PM

I can't wait to hear what this comes back as!

CaptHenway · January 20, 2011 12:38AM

<< if the weights are the same, and the size are the same,

does that mean the specific gravity is the same? >>

The weights and diameter are the same, but the warnix are marginally thinner. The S.G. of a regular copper-nickel five cent piece is 8.92. The observed S.G.'s of warnickels average about 9.32, though they can range lower due to planchets cracks which are relatively common on warnix.

It is certainly worth doing an S.G. before paying an X-ray testing fee.

TD

Nickel Experts ............1944-P Non-Silver Warnickel ???

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