how much silver is in a nickel before 1964

[OMaximus]

Based on established numismatic information, as the provided context is insufficient to furnish an answer, the question of silver content in pre-1964 nickels requires a specific clarification. Unlike dimes, quarters, and half dollars from that era, the vast majority of nickels minted before 1964 do not contain any silver. Their composition has consistently been an alloy of 75% copper and 25% nickel.

The only exception to this rule occurred for a brief period during World War II. To conserve nickel, a strategic material essential for the war effort, the U.S. Mint altered the coin's composition. From mid-1942 through the end of 1945, five-cent pieces were struck with an alloy of 35% silver, 56% copper, and 9% manganese. These specific coins are commonly referred to by collectors as "War Nickels."

Therefore, to answer the question directly, a nickel from before 1964 only contains silver if it was minted between 1942 and 1945. These specific coins contain 35% silver. A key identifying feature of these silver-alloy nickels is the presence of a large mint mark (P, D, or S) located above the dome of Monticello on the reverse. Nickels minted before 1942 or after 1945 contain no silver.