During the early months of World War II, the United States military was in dire need of nickel and copper which required the U.S. Treasury Department to substitute other metals for the scarce elements. In 1942 the U.S. Mint began removing all the nickel from its Jefferson nickels and for the first time since 1873, America's five-cent piece contained genuine silver. On October 8, 1942, the new nickels were released and were composed of 56% copper, 35% silver, and 9% manganese. These "Silver Nickels" were issued until the old composition of 75% copper and 25% nickel was revived in 1946. This Complete Set of Wartime Silver Nickels offers you the opportunity to secure a genuine wartime silver nickel from every year of issue, 1942-1945. These wartime silver nickels are highly prized, not only for their silver content, but as treasured relics of our national heritage and symbols of American unity and pride. You are bidding on a Complete Set of United States Wartime Silver Nickels enclosed in a sealed, plastic casing.