It was on this day in 1866 that Congress established the nickel! The country first minted a silver 5-cent coin in 1792. It was called a half-dime, and was one of the first coins produced by the newly created U.S. Mint. The metal for the initial batch may have come from silverware owned by George and Martha Washington! Today, nickels cost around 13.78 cents to produce. But because it’s made of 75% copper and 25% nickel, its the only coin likely to be worth more than face value, depending on commodity prices. Nickels became more popular with the rise of coin-operated machines, juke boxes, and nickelodeon cinemas. Learn more about nickels in the audio below.