Are world war 2 era coins worth anything?

That depends on which coin. Lincoln cents, they're worth maybe 10 cents each in decent condition. War nickels dated 1942-1945 actually contain a bit of silver (and are the only nickels that do), which make them worth more than a dollar each. Then circulated Mercury dimes, Washington quarters, and Standing Liberty half dollars are all silver, currently worth about $1.50, $3.60, and $7.25 respectively (as of 10 January 2014).