In reply to:
I'm leaning towards the believe that copper is copper.
Well Harley, if copper is not really copper, then what is it?
You can wrap it anyway you like, bend it, melt it, blow on it, whatever, but unless some witchcraft alchemy of copper to gold is happening then the copper will still be copper. Ultimately those copper strands (99%OFC) are still what carries the signal from point A to point B in a ridiculously short distance at the near speed of light through what are known as electrons, a highly generic sub-atomic particle that is non-discerning between any metal nor energy signal.
Sounds like you are on the right track to finding a great wire deal.
