Alpaca?

Punatic

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Okay well I'm still confused about this piece… As many times as I look at it I feel like it is indeed marked Alpaca. It is not Magnetic but neither is obviously Alpaca money clip I have also.

This is the Mark left with 18 K acid ImageUploadedByTreasureNet.com1431096847.448808.jpg ImageUploadedByTreasureNet.com1431096892.866641.jpg ImageUploadedByTreasureNet.com1431096921.869791.jpg test. Appears to be a clear silver positive reaction. Let me know what you guys think…
 

mkulltra

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Doesn't look good to me. See how the test site is flaky looking. I'm going to guess if you scratch a real thick line on the stone, you'll still have that flaky result. I would guess real good plating based on those test results. Sterling would be real smooth looking on the stone and none of your scratch would disappear.
 

Koffee

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Alpaca is an alloy it is if I remember correctly copper zinc nickle. It is similar to German silver and Thai silver and contains no actual silver.
 

tamrock

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I call that word Alcrapa ... I suggest you avoid spending your money on that. Just keep hunting, better finds will come along. :icon_thumright:
 

OP
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Thanks guys, I'm familiar with what alpaca is. Was just confused with the positive sterling acid test and it is not magnetic.

I'll scratch a bit deeper and see how it goes.
 

mkulltra

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That's why I said it has plating. Test would turn blue without some silver being involved. Anything else would just disappear when the acid hits it (besides gold of course).
 

batcap

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It doesn't say alpaca to me. Maybe amaca or Almaca. Better pics including one of the coin in the bowl would help. Also the whole point of Alpaca is to reproduce the look and feel of silver. You wouldn't take the effort to make a substitute for silver just to silver plate it, and then stamp it as fake silver, If you see what I mean.
 

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OP
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Punatic

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Yes I've looked at that mark a lot and can't for the life of me figure out if it says alpaca or not.

Almaga?

ImageUploadedByTreasureNet.com1431305816.312104.jpg ImageUploadedByTreasureNet.com1431305836.911078.jpg
 

OP
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As someone pointed out when I first posted this piece, it may be a cast fake? I don't know enough to tell if it's real or not.

And yea a silver plated alpaca seems a bit silly...

I will still scratch deeper to see what the reading is...
 

batcap

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Maybe it's a cast fake. Did Mexico use 1810 Spanish coins? Did this even come from Mexico? Your pictures are big and sharp, and your hand is steady. If you figure out your white balance you will have some darn good photos.
 

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