The E-Sylum:  Volume 7, Number 52, December 26, 2004, Article 15

WHITE METAL

  In response to a query, Dick Johnson wrote up the following
  discussion of white metal, always a confusing subject in
  numismatic attribution:

  "What you have is "white metal." This is a loose term that
  does not have an exact formulation, but whose major component
  is tin. It most often has lead mixed with the tin. It was 
  widely used in England, where a tinsmith industry flourished 
  because of the active production of the tin mines in Western 
  England. It was used to make utensils and plates for the 
  lower class who could not afford silver (or later, silverplate)  
  utensils. (But the lead leached into the food and the result
  was some lead poisoning.)

  But it was ideal for medals. It is softer than bronze, 
  silver and other medal compositions, but harder than pure 
  tin. Pure tin also has the shortcoming of being affected 
  by temperature (it changes at temperature below freezing) 
  but this is less so for white metal. Because of its 
  softness white metal is ideal for striking. I have never 
  seen a cast white metal object (perhaps this is 
  impossible).

  White metal does resemble aluminum. But aluminum did not
  become commercially available until electricity became 
  available (thank you, Thomas Edison who established the 
  first electric generation plant in Philadelphia). Since 
  aluminum requires a large amount of electricity to purify
  it, it becme available only after the development of 
  electric generation (about 1890). In America white metal 
  fell into disuse after aluminum became widely available.

  White metal is often called pewter, which it closely 
  resembles. In cataloging medals of light weight silver 
  color they are often called many things -- tin, lead, 
  pewter and others -- but it is best to call it white metal.

  Tin can be impressed with your fingernail, as can pure 
  lead. White metal is not dented this easily. "Pot metal" 
  can frequently be indented with your fingernail because 
  of the great use of these soft metals. It is not suitable 
  for medals. Like white metal, pewter also has no specific 
  formulation (but is a mixture of whatever was tossed into 
  the melting pot, hence the name)

  If your bronze and white metal medals were award medals, 
  the white metal ranked the very lowest, even below bronze 
  (with silver and gold above, of course)."

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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