for most clarinet, flute, oboe and similar wind instrument keys, normally silver-plated. It is used to produce the tubes (called staples) onto which oboe reeds are tied. Many parts of brass instruments are made of nickel silver, such as tubes, braces or valve mechanism. Trombone slides of many manufacturers offer lightweight nickel silver (LT slide) option for faster slide action and weight balance. It was used in the construction of the National tricone resophonic guitar. The frets of guitar, mandolin, banjo, bass, and related string instruments are typically nickel silver. Nickel silver is sometimes used as ornamentation on the great highland bagpipe. Nickel silver is also used in art. The Dutch sculptor Willem Lenssinck has made several pieces from German silver. Outdoor art made from this material easily withstands all kinds of weather. Fraudulent Counterfeiters have used nickel silver to produce coins and medallions purporting to be silver rounds, generally in an attempt to trick unsuspecting buyers into paying prices based on the spot price of silver. The metal has also been used to produce counterfeit Morgan dollars. Nickel silver fraud has included the production of replica bullion bars, marked "nickel silver" or "German silver", in weights of . They are sold without notification that they contain no elemental silver. Toxicity According to the Merck Manual, prolonged contact of copper alloys with acidic food or beverages (including boiling milk) can leach out the copper and cause toxicity. Long-term, low doses can lead to cirrhosis. It is also the case that many people have allergic reactions to nickel, causing a weeping rash that will not heal as long as the metal is in contact with the skin. See also Argentium sterling silver – sounds similar to "argentan" but is a very different precious white metal (Argentium Sterling = 92.5% silver + 7.5% copper and germanium) which remains untarnished much longer than plain Sterling Britannia silver (95.833% silver, the rest usually being copper) Britannia metal (approx. 93% tin, 5% antimony, and 2% copper) Cupronickel Sheffield plate References External links Silver's Sterling Qualities Chinese inventions Copper alloys Nickel alloys Economy of the Qing dynasty Silver