Nickel (chemical symbol Ni) is a hard, silvery-white metal with good corrosion resistance and durability. Nickel was first adopted for coinage in the mid-19th century, initially in the United States and parts of Europe, as a low-cost alternative to silver for small denominations. Pure nickel was used for circulation coins through the late 19th and early 20th centuries, though it was largely replaced by copper-nickel alloys, which are easier to strike and more economical, and less likely to cause skin allergies. Nickel is also commonly used as a cladding or plating material.
