Ironically, while you feel poked, I feel stabbed now. I just asked for educated reasons as to why someone thought the bead a fake. And, I don't need the bead to be authentic. I said nothing about what was paid for this bead, but I feel like you've just told me I most likely couldn't afford to buy an authentic Warring States bead. Or, that I couldn't possibly own one as they are so rare. I know that I could buy one from Jan Skipper on e-bay now for around 150.00. I also know that often even the experts can be wrong and that museums have been wrong about acquisitions. And, I still love what I guess you think is an otherwise cheap and worthless bead. It was actually a gift purchased by a friend in New York from a genuine Middle Eastern man. Okay...the bleeding has stopped. I will always cherish this bead. :)