WHY WWII JEFFERSON NICKELS LAMINATE

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V29 2026 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 29, Number 41, 2026, Article 13

"I think non-error collectors may also be interested in this article I recently published in Mint Error News Issue # 97 on why WWII Jefferson Nickels laminate.

"Also on the Newman Portal. Readers can enter SEM/EDS in SEARCH in the Portal to see my other research papers.

"People are requested to contact me if they feel this "COMBINED" dual method analysis (XRF & SEM/EDS) can help them in their numismatic inquires.

"Here is the link: https://minterrornews.com/issue97.pdf. The article starts on page 144."

Thanks. A couple weeks back we published an analysis of the Roper New England sixpence which also involved XRF and SEM analysis. The article is very detailed, but here's the abstract. -Editor

Lamination in wartime Jefferson nickels reflects a multistage metallurgical failure rooted in both internal alloy behavior and later surface transformations. Bulk XRF measurements confirm that manganese levels remain below the Red Book's 9% reference value, demonstrating that the interior alloy retains its intended Cu–Ag–Mn proportions. Yet SEM/EDS exposes a more complex surface condition: thin, discontinuous zones of true Mn enrichment that migrate toward the upper metal layer and oxidize over time. These enriched layers are too subtle for XRF to detect, but their presence is metallurgically significant and directly tied to surface instability.

The internal structure shows its own vulnerabilities. During solidification, manganese's strong affinity for oxygen, sulfur, and chlorine produces brittle Mnoxide, Mnsulfide, and Mnchloride inclusions that fail to dissolve into the matrix. Rolling elongates these inclusions into stringers, creating weak internal planes that later manifest as lamination seams. SEM/EDS mapping confirms that these internal phases persist and remain chemically reactive, providing a structural foundation for delamination.

Surface processes compound these internal weaknesses. Over time, manganese migrates toward the exterior, forming mixed metallic/oxide transition zones that crack, oxidize, and interact with environmental sulfur and chloride species. Although XRF does not register these layers, EDS consistently identifies localized Mn enrichment that destabilizes the surface. Environmental exposure accelerates this degradation, as Mnbearing sulfides and chlorides react readily with moisture and pollutants, weakening both internal stringers and surface layers.

Together, the evidence demonstrates that lamination in WWII nickels arises from the combined effects of internal Mnoxide stringers and true Mn surface enrichment, with environmental reactions further driving the peel phenomenon. Both mechanisms are present, both are metallurgically credible, and current data does not allow prioritizing one over the other. Continued SEM/EDS mapping of enriched zones will help refine the relative contributions of each process.