Copper wire? confused..can anyone help ID this

[sathmcnugent]

I have some wire that I am not sure of what it is..I have been scrapping for nearly 20 years and never come across this..this wire is insulated and i cut it open..its very flexible like copper but it has an aluminum color..however..when you scrape the suface off its a light copper color underneath..as well i cut some of it up to make it shorter and again its got a weak copper color.. I compared a piece that I scraped against the color of one i didnt scrape..and 2 totally different colors..is this copper wire never had any wire like this..oh yeah it came from the inside of an old house..it has cloth outside and then rubber under it and the wire inside..its quite old. thanks if anyone can help me ID this.

[sathmcnugent]

sounds like old SEU cable, and should be copper, or possibly tinned copper

If thats what it is..I will still get regular copper prices for it correct??

[manorman]

it might be copper wire coated with silver.

[theirratonalist]

If thats what it is..I will still get regular copper prices for it correct??

Yeah you should still get copper 2 price for it.

[CHAINCHOMP]

how would u know if its coated w/ silver as opposed to tin? sorry, just wondering...

[davest]

if it's single strand with one conductor running down one side of each joist, you have copper wire. It's called knob and tube wiring.

[WAres]

tin coated cu wire