as is the case for silver war nickels minted between 1942 and 1945, according to Gainesville Coins — some truly rare nickels from the past could fetch sky-high prices. According to Luxe Digital ...

But as American Bullion noted, you can also find some pricey versions minted during World War II (1942-45) because these were made with additional silver and manganese to save nickel for the war ...

These nickels, minted during World War II, have a composition of copper, silver, and manganese materials. Nickel was a strategic metal during those days for manufacturing war equipment.