Alpacca Silver (Alpaca) refers to an alloy*  that imitates sterling silver.  This non-precious bright silvery-grey metal alloy is made up of copper, zinc and nickel and sometimes iron.  Alpacca Silver does NOT conntain any real silver; it is just another name for Nickel Silver.  In Germany & Austria and also in Middle and Eastern Europe the term used for this alloy is Alpacca Silver rather than Nickel Silver.                                                                                                                                                                                                                              -      In 1823 there was a contest among German & Austrian metalwork companies to develop an alloy that most closely appeared similar to silver (visually - not chemically or physically).  After the manufacturer, Berndorf AG, trademarked and made popular the brand name Alpacca, this term was used more frequently than the term Nickel Silver.  The term for this alloy in Mexico, Central America, and South America is Alpaca Silver rather than Nickel Silver.   Despite its name, Nickel Silver,  contains NO real silver; and it is also commonly called German Silver or Alpaca Silver.                                                                                                                                                                                                               -      Alpacca Silver, Alpaca Siver,  Nickel Silver, and German Silver  are all valued collectibles.  BUT do not be fooled!  Despite these above names items made of them contain NO real silver.  There are some sellers/stores that will try to pass it off as true silver or silverplate.  Some items made from  occasionally may be silverplated with either true silver or a form of  Nickel Silver.                                                                   .                                                                                                  -         *Alloy - a substance composed of two or more metals usually manufactured by being dissolved into each other when molten.  A mixture of metals and not a single metal.