War nickel attracted to magnet

So I picked up some war nickels a few weeks ago. Just messing around with em and some earth magnets and I accidentally found that 1 out of the 3 is slightly attracted to the magnets.

 

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Are you sure its not a 1942 non-war issue?

 

My theory would be that the coin is a 1942 "non" war nickel without a mint mark. The magnet might be attracted to the nickel element which does attract a magnet. Copper does not however. I see you aren't picking it up, so maybe the attraction is minimal.

Other theory would be Henning "counterfeit" nickel, which also would be missing the mint mark and have the 25/75 split as a normal nickel.

 

Well, if they truly love each other what does it matter (LOL)

 

75%copper25%nickel should not attract to a magnet. Is it magnetic all over or just in one area?

 

just in one area (top of head), gonna post a vid soon

 

If just in a certain spot, I would assume its pre war alloy and incomplete mixing of the alloy. That would be my only idea, short of some PMD plating.

Is the large mintmark above Monticello on the coin?

 

Yes large mintmark is there.

 

I guess my only guess would be PMD plating, but there are others here more knowledgable about them than I.

 

I'll upload a video when I get home since I'm at work right now. Oh by the way it is a 1943.

 

I gotta go with plating.

Nickel is non-magnetic unless it's nearly pure. There's no reason a war nickel should be attracted to a magnet.

 

ok heres the vid. remember these are earth magnets which are pretty strong.

http://youtu.be/F5OkvUpbZUQ

 

I watched your youtube video and there appears to be some magnetic properties to this coin, however very slight. How bout doin this the other way around. attach a magnet to the nickel and see if it stays on the coin when you turn it upside down.
I am wondering if a coin can somehow be magnetized to some degree with an electromagnet?
Maybe it was stuck in some sort of vending machine ( pinball machine? ) and subject to an electrical charge?
I don't think this is a big deal though as far as being any more collectible than any other ordinary circulated war nickel.

 

IIRC there's something to the idea of improperly mixed alloy. The way that I remember it is that the alloy used for these nickels is not always homogeneous and therefore might have spots that are concentrated with more manganese and therefore have (slightly) magnetic "spots"

 

I was thinking the same thing Mike. These coins are notorious for being poorly mixed and full of impurities. That would be my guess as well.

 

didn't think it would hold the magnet but it did. I leaning towards what Nickel Guy said about having more manganese in certain spots, only in two spots on the coin ( top of head and shoulder of Jefferson)


http://youtu.be/EPUi8I9LkG8

 

I assume you using Neodymium Magnet. I wondering if the impure mixure in some war nickel may attract Neodymium Magnet? Did you try another kind of magnet and able do same as what you did?