Which Countries Have Issued Pure Nickel Coins?

Until relatively recently, the easiest way to fish pure nickel coins out of a mixed bag of world coins was with a magnet; only nickel and steel coins would stick. These days, many countries issue plated-steel coins, so the method isn't as useful.

For a comprehensive listing, go to Mumismaster's "Find My Coin" database and pick "world" as source, then "nickel" under composition. It gives multiple pages because you can't narrow the filter to "nickel" only; it also returns copper-nickel and nickel-plated-steel.

Here are some highlights:

Albania - 1926 series. Expensive.

Algeria - 1972 series.

Angola - 1922 50¢ and 1971 E20.

Argentina - 1941 50¢, 1994 series

Austria - 10h and 20h 1892 series

Bahamas - 25¢

Belgium - 50¢, 1f, 2f, 5f, 10f, 20f 1922-1940, 10f 1969-79, 50f 1987-2001

Bhutan - ½ rupee 1928-1950

Brazil - Cr50 1965, 50¢ 1967, Cr1 1970-72

An that's where it stops, because that's where you hit the 50 page search limit. Other notable nickel-issuing countries, off the top of my head:

France and French colonies. Like Canada, France owns nickel mines; theirs are on New Caledonia. French and French Colonial (including New Caledonia), typically the 10f, 20f and 50f post-WWII denominations.

Germany - the Nazis allegedly used their nickel coinage as a "reserve supply" of the strategic metal in contravention of the Treaty of Versailles. Denominations are 50rpf 1927-1939 and RM1 1933-1939.

India - R¼, R¼ and R1 British 1946-7 and Republic 1950-1956, Republic 25p 1957-1972 & 1977, 50p 1960-1969, R1 1964-1971

Mexico - 5¢ 1905-1914

Switzerland - the 5r and 10r from 1932-1941 and the 20r from 1887-1941. These nickel coins, though they look identical to modern Swiss ones, were officially demonetized and are being systematically removed from circulation.

Venezuela - 25¢, 50¢ and B1 1965-1987.

I believe the earlier Japanese 50 yen coins were struck in 100% nickel.

Thank you for that effort, DCH. I have hand copied your list onto the back the same sheet that I used for the information supplied by Sap. Later on, I will read up Krause on the particular denominations and dates.

Collecting from a list such as this is a sideline to enjoy the thrill of the hunt in dealers' junk boxes and at coin shows. I have enjoyed this sort of hunting for square coins for nearly 30 years. They are more easily spotted in a box with hundreds of other coins.

In Italy, Flying Liberty 20 cents (1908-1922) is nickel .975.
Also, 50 centesimi "Lions" (1919-1925) is nickel .975.
Buono da 1 lira (1922-1928) is .975 nickel.
Buono da 2 Lire (1923-1927) is 100% nickel.