Why is "Chineese silver" under bullion when the silver content is so low ( less than 2%)?

[brianr7701]

The "antique" silver bullion bar that I bought last year, which I "presumed" is "silver bullion", is not. When it was tested, it was less than 2% silver. Ebay should remove the listings as "FRAUDULENT", or force the sellers to list it under another category, because the primary metal, under which it is listed, is 100% wrong. IT IS NOT SILVER.

[reallynicestamps]

Technically I suppose it is 98% wrong if there is only 2% actual silver in 'Chinese silver'.

While you cannot leave feedback at this point you can leave a Response to either your own or the seller's original feedback. I imagine at this point this will only give you some vengeance because after a year, that feedback is probably several pages back.

Was the 'Chinese silver' given that name or was it called 'sterling silver'? There are several alloys with silver in their names that contain little or no silver. Others I know are 'German Silver' and 'Tibetan Silver'. 

It is worth doing a little research when an unusual term turns up in a listing. Wikipedia is a good start.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_silver

Keep in mind that the bullion market is international. While labour is cheap in China, the manufacturers are paying the same price for bullion as Canadian or German or Kenyan or Indian buyers. Worked silver may be less expensive from a low wage company, but bullion will not be.

If the deal sounds too good to be true, it isn't.

Well, how can we be sure, u-unless we question it?-- Kaywinnet Lee Frye