You probably have one in your pocket right now. It feels heavy, cool, and undeniably metallic. But if you think you’re holding a solid chunk of nickel, you’re actually mostly wrong. It’s one of those weird quirks of American history where the name of the thing doesn't quite match the recipe.
So, what are nickels made out of?
The short answer is a blend. Specifically, it is 75% copper and 25% nickel.
It’s basically a copper coin wearing a nickel mask. If you melted one down—which, for the record, is illegal if you’re trying to turn a profit—you’d find a lot more of the stuff used in pennies than the silver-colored metal that gives the coin its name. Since 1866, this ratio has remained remarkably consistent, surviving wars, depressions, and the rise of the digital economy.
Why Copper is the Secret Star
People always act surprised when they find out the nickel is mostly copper. Copper is cheap. Or, at least, it used to be. It provides the bulk and the durability needed for a coin to survive decades of being jingled in pockets and slammed into vending machines. The nickel portion is really just there to change the color. Without that 25% nickel, your five-cent piece would look like a slightly overweight penny.
The U.S. Mint likes this specific 75/25 cupronickel alloy because it’s "malleable yet tough." That’s fancy talk for saying it takes a stamp well but won't wear down into a smooth slug after three years of use. If you look at a nickel from the 1960s, you can usually still see Thomas Jefferson’s hair ribbons. That’s the alloy doing its job.
💡 You might also like: The Recipe Marble Pound Cake Secrets Professional Bakers Don't Usually Share
That One Time Nickels Actually Changed
History is messy. During World War II, the "standard recipe" for the nickel went out the window because the military needed nickel for armor plating and stainless steel. It was a critical war material.
From 1942 to 1945, the Mint produced what collectors call "War Nickels." These are the oddballs. They were made of 56% copper, 35% silver, and 9% manganese.
Think about that. For a few years, the nickel actually contained silver.
You can spot these easily if you know what to look for. Check the back of the coin. If there is a large mint mark (P, D, or S) hovering right above the dome of Monticello, you’re holding silver. These coins look a bit greasier and darker than modern nickels because manganese oxidizes in a funky way. They also have a different "ring" to them if you drop them on a wooden table.
The Manufacturing Process at the Mint
Ever wondered how a sheet of metal becomes a coin? It starts with massive coils of cupronickel strip. These coils are fed into a "blanking press" that punches out round discs called blanks. These are basically featureless metal circles.
📖 Related: Why the Man Black Hair Blue Eyes Combo is So Rare (and the Genetics Behind It)
Then comes the annealing.
The blanks are heated in a furnace to soften the metal. This makes it easier to squeeze the design onto the surface. After a quick wash and dry, they go through an upsetting mill—which is a hilarious name for a machine—to create that raised rim around the edge. This rim protects the design from wearing down too fast. Finally, the "coining press" hits the blank with enormous pressure, somewhere around 30 tons, to stamp the image of Jefferson and Monticello onto the metal.
Is the Metal Worth More Than Five Cents?
This is where things get dicey for the government. The "melt value" of a nickel fluctuates wildly based on global commodity markets.
There have been several points in the last two decades where the copper and nickel inside a five-cent piece were worth more than five cents. In 2022, for instance, the price of nickel spiked so hard that the metal value of a single coin hit nearly eight cents.
This creates a headache for the U.S. Mint. They are essentially losing money on every nickel they produce. However, you can't just go out and melt them. Federal regulations (specifically 31 CFR Part 82) prohibit the melting or exportation of pennies and nickels for profit. The government isn't about to let people liquidate the national currency just because the price of industrial metals went up on the London Metal Exchange.
👉 See also: Chuck E. Cheese in Boca Raton: Why This Location Still Wins Over Parents
Comparison of Nickel Compositions
| Era | Copper % | Nickel % | Silver % | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1866–1941 | 75% | 25% | 0% | - |
| 1942–1945 | 56% | 35% | 35% | 9% Manganese |
| 1946–Present | 75% | 25% | 0% | - |
The Future of the Five-Cent Piece
There is constant talk in Washington about changing what nickels are made out of to save money. Some suggest moving to a zinc core (like the penny) or even a multi-ply plated steel. Steel nickels would be significantly cheaper to produce, but they cause a massive problem: vending machines.
Most coin-operated machines use magnets and electrical conductivity sensors to verify if a coin is real. Steel is magnetic; cupronickel isn't. If the Mint switched to steel tomorrow, every laundromat, parking meter, and soda machine in America would need a hardware upgrade. That’s a billion-dollar logistical nightmare that keeps the current 75/25 copper-nickel blend safe for now.
Practical Takeaways for Collectors and Enthusiasts
If you’re interested in the metallurgy of your change, here is what you should actually do:
- Check your dates: Any nickel from 1942 to 1945 is worth significantly more than five cents because of the silver content. Even in bad condition, they usually sell for at least $1.50 to $2.00.
- Look for the "Luster": Modern nickels have a "cartwheel" effect when rotated under a light. This is caused by microscopic flow lines created during the high-pressure stamping process.
- Avoid cleaning them: If you find an old nickel, don't scrub it with baking soda or polish. Collectors hate that. The patina—that layer of oxidation—actually tells the story of the metal’s age.
- Watch the markets: If you’re a nerd for economics, keep an eye on copper and nickel spot prices. When they go up, the "seigniorage" (the profit or loss the Mint makes) becomes a hot political topic.
The nickel is a survivor. It’s a heavy, clunky relic of an era when coins actually felt like they had value. While the penny might be on its deathbed, the nickel's specific blend of copper and nickel makes it just useful enough to stick around for a few more decades. Next time you hold one, remember you're holding a piece of metallurgical history that’s basically a silver-colored copper coin.
Keep an eye on the 1942-1945 "War Nickels" in your change. Identifying that large mint mark above Monticello is the easiest way to find silver in the wild without needing a metal detector. Check the edge of the coin as well; if you see a copper stripe like on a quarter or dime, you've found a rare "wrong planchet" error, as nickels should be solid-colored throughout.