what are 1940 nickels made of

[VonLuke]

Although the provided search context was not sufficient to formulate an answer, established numismatic information confirms the metallic composition of the 1940 Jefferson nickel. These coins were struck from an alloy consisting of 75% copper and 25% nickel.

This cupronickel composition was the standard for the Jefferson nickel series from its introduction in 1938. It is important to distinguish the 1940 issue from the later "wartime" nickels. Due to the strategic need for nickel during World War II, the U.S. Mint altered the coin's composition from mid-1942 through 1945 to an alloy of 56% copper, 35% silver, and 9% manganese. The 1940 nickel, however, predates this change and therefore contains no silver, adhering strictly to the traditional copper-nickel formulation that was resumed for the denomination after the war.