On 18/11/2017 11:02, Graeme wrote:
In message , alan_m
writes

I once bought some brass screws to fit a toilet pan to find years
later that the were brass plated screws (or brass coloured metal
plated) and the heads under the plastic cover were so corroded that
the head had to be drilled out.

grinÂ* Brass plated screws are horrible things.Â* The ones I removed
from the pan are real brass and will go through my little tumbler for
reuse, good as new.

Always keep a small magnet to check such things.

I am now checking all my 1p and 2p pieces and saving the non-ferrous
ones for potential DIY usages.

PS I tried to put a 10p piece into the auto cash machine in the
supermarket yesterday and after much whirring it spat it out.

Tried time and time again but no success.

Today I looked more closely and although it looks like
a 10p piece, it says AUSTRALIA !!. It's a 10 cent piece but
fooled me.