Pot metal is an alloy made of different kinds of metal that has a low melting point, is inexpensive and is fast and easy to cast. Zinc is usually the primary component, but the mix may also include lead, copper, tin, iron, aluminum and cadmium based on what it’s going to be used for. Pot metal was used a lot in the early 20th century for jewelry, toys, decorative items, tools and car parts. Pot metal jewelry was sometimes gold or silver plated to make it fancier but keep the reasonable cost. “Pot metal” is often used interchangeably with “white metal,” however “white metal” is actually an umbrella term for different sorts of alloys.
