It's a really moldy topic...
The "Miao" Dollars get listed with "Handwork", "Handiwork", etc... they basically (if indirectly) are admitting right in the listing the item is "handmade jewelry" (a fake coin). A lot of them were being listed in "Antiques" (as opposed to Coins & Paper Money). It's all a scam, obviously, since they are of recent manufacture (not antique).
I don't deal in Asian jewelry much (vintage or current production), I have no idea if "Maio" is really a legitimate jewelry alloy or not... anything that's "about" 60% silver sound spurious to me though.
I looked around the www a bit... there's apparently some Miao folks in China who hold a festival and are known for their silverwork. I also noticed the fine folks at the big famous national museum are offering some (in bracelet form) in their online gift shop... they make no claim about the actual silver content... I suspect it's minimal, based on the pricing of the items...
The Miao people of China and southeast Asia are known for their handmade jewelry—like these narrow Miao Silver Flower Cuffs with gracefully incised floral motifs. Fashioned from Miao silver (white copper and silver). Set of 3, one each design. One size fits most wrists.
Museum Provenance
They recall Miao jewelry in the Sm********n’s Asian ethnological collections.
Every Smi*******n purchase will arrive with a museum provenance card explaining how it is adapted from or inspired by an object or objects in our collection.
White copper? Hunting for that on the www results in mostly info. on copper-nickel alloys...
The Floggings Will Continue Until Morale Improves.
