Check your change when you go shopping.

Check your change when you go shopping. I am not talking about checking your change to be sure you get the correct change (though that is always a good idea), I am talking about checking your change for coins that might be worth a lot more than you think.

Take a look at the photos below -- they are photos of a Jefferson nickel that came in change at a fast food restaurant. You might not be able to make out the date.



At first glance the nickel looks like an "everyday nickel" that is worn. But look closely. The coin was minted during World War II and there is a big letter -- a "P" -- over the dome of Monticello on the reverse.



Nickels minted during the War with a big letter over the dome (P, D or S) were made with "silver." Each of the so-called "war nickels" contains 0.0563 troy ounces of silver.

The website www.coinflation.com has tables which tell you how much silver coinage is worth based on current silver prices. And as I write this that "nickel" given in change is worth $1.25. While that's not a fortune, it gives you an idea that coins worth more than face value are worth money.

I also got a quarter from a fast food restaurant from 1964. This quarter is 90% silver and 1964 was the last year that the U.S. Mint made 90% silver coins for general circulation. According to coinflation.com the quarter right now has 0.1808 troy ounces of silver worth $4.01 which was almost the cost of that fast food I picked up.



While you won't get rich picking up this small change with real silver content, a few dollars here and a few dollars there... and you can have a nice lunch.

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