Wartime Nickels - What is considered a good deal?

vpr

I just paid spot for war nickels. Is this a good deal? Since they're 35% silver, are folks usually able to find them for under spot?

Weiss

I think war nickels usually sell at a discount--and at times a pretty substantial discount.

They are also difficult to sell.

VanHalen

<< <i>I just paid spot for war nickels. Is this a good deal? Since they're 35% silver, are folks usually able to find them for under spot? >>



They usually sell for a discount to melt. How much depends on the buyer/seller.

AUandAG

The usually sell for under spot, retail.

You might get lucky and break even

bob

renman95

...trade 'em for 40% Kennedy's.

LochNESS

Hold onto them until spot rises enough, then you'll be able to break even.

vpr

Thanks for the responses. It was a small lot that I purchased. Hopefully, I can break even in a few years. ; )

ricko

Five cents.... Well, only partially joking... I like finding them in change.... and have found several in rolls ...have not roll searched nickels in about two years though... Cheers, RickO

Overdate

I think war nickels are underrated. They have never been popular with silver stackers, and melting in quantity began in 1963, several years before silver dimes through dollars began hitting the melting pot. So it's possible that upwards of 90% of the original mintages have disappeared. Some lower-mintage war nickels might actually be scarcer than the 1950-D.

Weiss

If refining costs weren't so bad, then there is some potential with war nickels and 40%.

You're buying the silver at less than the cost of the silver, and they have "free" copper, nickel, manganese.

And there is the built-in floor for the value of the silver at which the face value becomes more than the silver value. It's low (really low). But it's there.

AUandAG

<< <i>I think war nickels are underrated. They have never been popular with silver stackers, and melting in quantity began in 1963, several years before silver dimes through dollars began hitting the melting pot. So it's possible that upwards of 90% of the original mintages have disappeared. Some lower-mintage war nickels might actually be scarcer than the 1950-D. >>



I tend to disagree with the "melting in quantity". My experience is that the refiners will not accept war nickels as the
cost to refine exceeds the value of the silver. I think that almost all war nickels exist today.

bob

streeter

Vpr,

How much did you pay ea. ?
How many rolls?

Overdate

<< <i>I tend to disagree with the "melting in quantity". My experience is that the refiners will not accept war nickels as the
cost to refine exceeds the value of the silver. I think that almost all war nickels exist today.

bob >>


"Items we refine"

Also, this. Refiners' buying prices are low because of the cost of separating out the silver from the manganese and copper, but the value of the silver is still greater than the cost to refine.

Dealers/refiners began offering premiums on war nickels in 1963/64, I found and shipped off several rolls for a small profit during that time. Of course, both postage and refining costs were much lower then. It didn't take long after that for war nickels to become scarce in circulation.

JamesMurray

"We can buy your nickels but we cannot refine them into a silver bar and send the bar back to you. We pay for 40% of their silver value by weight for “war” nickels"

40% of the silver value.

Overdate

<< <i>40% of the silver value. >>


This helps explain why both wholesale and retail prices for war nickels are less than the spot price of their silver content. At the moment, war nickels (like most other silver coins) are bringing premiums above refined value, hence little or no melting is taking place.

57loaded

<< <i>I just paid spot for war nickels. Is this a good deal? Since they're 35% silver, are folks usually able to find them for under spot? >>



25% back of melt.

I'm not bring mean, just been there a few years ago.

The salmon coloring that is common for this coin is very cool, IMO.

+1 Weiss

GrumpyEd

When silver was up above $40 I saw the WTNs being bought for good prices.
Same with 40% halves, they do best when silver is way up.
By best I mean they start selling for closer to their silver content.

At other times they're a tougher sell.

vpr

I paid spot ($1.32) for 200 nickels, so not a huge quantity. I could get spot for them on Ebay so I don't think I screwed up that bad. I was thinking that if silver ever goes back up again, more people will look at war nickels since they will still be affordable. Not many folks will be able to afford $100/oz of pure 999 silver, considering that the majority of the people live paycheck to paycheck. War nickels might even sell for a premium!