Certain five-cent pieces contain a composition that includes silver as a component of their metallic makeup. These coins deviate from the standard cupro-nickel alloy typically used in United States nickel production.
The inclusion of silver resulted from wartime metal conservation efforts. Substituting the usual nickel content with silver freed up nickel for industrial and military applications during a period of national emergency. This modification offers numismatic interest and represents a unique period in coin production history.