A Guide to World War II Era Coins: History in Your Hands (2025)

The coins of the World War II era (1939-1945) are more than just currency; they are historical artifacts that tell a powerful story of global conflict, sacrifice, and innovation. For collectors, these coins offer a direct, tangible connection to one of the most significant periods in human history. From metal composition changes due to wartime shortages to currency issued in occupied territories, every coin has a story.

This guide will explore some of the most interesting and collectible coins from the WWII era. You can use the Coinly app to identify these historical coins and learn more about their specific context.

United States: Coins on the Home Front

The U.S. had to adapt its coinage to support the war effort, leading to some of the most famous and collectible coins of the 20th century.

The 1943 Steel Lincoln Cent

• The Story: To conserve copper for ammunition and other military uses, the U.S. Mint switched to producing pennies made of zinc-coated steel for one year only.
• Value: Most steel cents are very common and worth about $0.50 to $2.00. They are a fascinating piece of history.
• The Rarity: The famous 1943 Copper Penny was an error made when a few leftover copper planchets were used. These are worth over $1,000,000.
• How to Tell: A steel cent is magnetic; a copper cent is not.

The Wartime Silver Jefferson Nickels (1942-1945)

• The Story: Nickel was also a critical war material. To conserve it, the mint produced nickels with a composition of 56% copper, 35% silver, and 9% manganese.
• How to Identify: These are the only nickels with a large mint mark (P, D, or S) on the reverse, above the dome of Monticello.
• Value: Their 35% silver content gives them a melt value of $1.25 to $2.00 each, making them a great find in pocket change.

Great Britain: Facing the Blitz

British coinage during WWII also reflects the realities of war.

The Silver Threepence to the Nickel-Brass Threepence

• The Story: The small, silver threepence was easily lost, and silver was needed for the war. In 1937, the UK introduced the larger, 12-sided nickel-brass threepence. During the war, the silver version was phased out entirely.
• Collectibility: The 1945 silver threepence is particularly scarce.

The Bronze Penny

• The Story: The iconic British penny, featuring Britannia on the reverse, continued to be minted throughout the war. However, the metal composition was slightly altered in some years to conserve tin.
• Interesting Fact: The 1933 penny is one of the UK's greatest rarities, but pennies from the war years (1939-1945) are a very accessible way to collect.

Germany: The Third Reich

Coins from Nazi Germany are a sobering reminder of the era's darkness. They are collected for their historical significance.

• Designs: These coins prominently feature the swastika and the German eagle.
• Denominations: Reichspfennig and Reichsmark.
• Metal Changes: As the war progressed, zinc and aluminum replaced more valuable metals like bronze and nickel, showing the strain on the German war economy.

Coins of Occupied Nations

Many countries occupied by Axis forces had special currency issued.

• France: The collaborationist Vichy government issued coins with the motto "Travail, Famille, Patrie" (Work, Family, Fatherland) instead of the traditional "Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité."
• Philippines: While under Japanese occupation, guerrilla and emergency currency was printed and minted by resistance forces.
• Netherlands: The Dutch government-in-exile in London minted coins in the U.S. at the Philadelphia and Denver mints to be used after liberation.

How to Build a WWII-Era Collection

• Start with a Focus: Choose a specific country (like the U.S. or UK) or a specific theme (like emergency money or coins from 1943).
• It's Affordable: Many common coins from this era are very inexpensive, making it a great starting point for budget collectors.
• Condition is Key: As with all coins, examples in better condition are more desirable. However, for historical coins, even worn examples that clearly saw circulation during the war have a special appeal.
• Use Coinly: The Coinly app is an excellent tool for identifying foreign coins from this period. If you find a coin with unfamiliar script or symbols, a quick scan can tell you its country of origin and date.

Conclusion: A Window to the Past

Collecting WWII-era coins is a deeply rewarding pursuit that connects you directly to the daily lives of people during a time of immense global struggle. These coins passed through the hands of soldiers and civilians, were used to buy rations, and were saved in hopes of a better future. They are not just metal discs; they are artifacts of resilience and history. By preserving them, you become a custodian of their incredible stories.

This guide highlights coins of historical interest. The display of symbols from the Third Reich is for historical and numismatic educational purposes only and does not represent an endorsement of the Nazi regime.