Metal prices have recently gone up. A penny is worth more than one cent and a nickel is worth more than five cents. This Demonstration calculates the scrap metal price of a dollar's worth of coins. As of Dec. 16, 2006, it is illegal to sell coins for scrap metal. During World War II, nickels were made of silver, because the metal nickel was important for war material. The collector price of many coins is much greater than the scrap price.