The Elusive USA Silver Five Cent

You need to be more specific or post pictures to get an answer, the only silver coins of a five cent denomination issued in the US were half dimes(4 types from 1794-1873) and the 1942-45 wartime Jefferson nickels(large mintmark on reverse). Everything else is just copper-nickel alloy.

please!

This coin is not Silver...... It's a " Buffalo nickel", or an "Indian Head" Nickel.

The coins metal composition is:

.750 Copper (inside core)
.250 Nickel (outside clad)
(The Nickel metal's homogeneous mixture is what gives it that "silvery" look)
I incorrectly described a heterogeneous mixture (clad), which of course the Nickel is not.

(correction made Captain !
In trying to put it into an "easy to understand fashion", I was blatantly wrong with my description of clad vs. homogeneous processes)

But in dealing with the MAIN thing I saw with the O.P.'s title and the ensueing pics.....
Sorry it isn't silver my Irish friend ! .....

This 1930 Buffalo nickel is worth less than one U.S. Dollar. Maybe .30 Cents to a Dollar, somewhere in there.
But, the good thing is that this is a VERY popular U.S. coin series to collect !
You have the start of your first Buffalo nickel collection !




Here's a link for you:

http://buffalonickel.org/

And another:

http://www.wikicoins.com/Buffalo_Nickel


I might add that this same design was re-used in the "Westward Series" Nickels that the U.S. Mint did in 2004, 2005, & 2006, for circulation. This rendition of the famous design was used on the 2005 release coin.
It also is continuing to be used on the Gold Buffalo coins which have been done since 2006.

Eaglefoot is incorrect about the composition. It's a homogeneous alloy of copper (75%) and nickel (25%) - it is not clad. It's the same composition as modern nickels.

Thanks everyone for your input. Even though it's not silver, I'm pleased I've got it, and like you say, Wquinn, it's a good start to a collection.
Also could someone tell me the address for this part of the forum. I only got here because I posted this originally on another section, it was moved, I was informed by email, and given the address just for this page.
Thanks.
Sheen

That is the right way to look at it.

I doubt you will find many complaints about finding a Buffalo nickel.

Note on the left it says he is in Ireland. Many people in other countries are not familiar with the metal composition of our coins. If it looks like Silver, why what else could it be? Also, not to long ago, Silver was used in many countries for coinage so why not this one?
Meanwhile, back to Sheencrofter.
I've been here so long I never even thought of how to get here. Must be those Martinis.
I would suspect that http://www.coincommunity.com would work.
If not, maybe just coincommunity.com
Let us all know if you do get it.