Messing with coins in PCGS holders is not a smart thing.

[MarkFeld]

The thread which spawned this one was about someone toning coins already inside PCGS holders, not about fooling any group. In fact, the first coin posted looked blatantly AT'd.

 

If someone posted that auction and asked about the toning, would you have called it "blatantly AT"? I bet many people would have thought the picture was juiced and the toning didn't look exactly like the image.

 

I agree the toning didn't come close to looking natural, but since it was in a PCGS slab, I bet a lot of people would have suspected a juiced picture instead of an ATed coin.

 

All MoC needed to do was get a little more experience and then run a few of these thru for new holders, then dump them in auctions where the companies are known for juicing the images and he'd have had a profitable business going.

 

And if MoC did this with only a year of practice, imagine what others are doing who had a 15 year head start.

Greg, in answer to your question, I believe I would have. In the case of a different coin - the toned reverse 1879-S, however, I likely would not have.

 

My point was that, as best we can tell, the issue was not about fooling people with coins that were AT'd and then slabbed, but rather, coins that were already slabbed. Your observations on the related topics certainly have merit, though.

[toyonakataro]

If you don't know what you are looking at, TW, I would suggest you stay away from toned coins. If, however, you come to the table having done your homework and with good knowledge then you may do well in this market buying original coins.

 

TomB-I know what you mean. But even NGC/PCGS professional graders often make mistakes and put ATd coin into slabs. Where and how can I do my homework and get knowledge whitch might exceed coin doctors?

[TomB]

Toyo, PCGS and NGC graders look at thousands of coins every week and must make grade, authentication and alteration determinations in seconds on each. You and I look at many fewer coins each week and have the luxury of closely examining and analyzing every potential purchase. Therefore, when in doubt, pass on the coin.

[truthteller]

Toyo, PCGS and NGC graders look at thousands of coins every week and must make grade, authentication and alteration determinations in seconds on each. You and I look at many fewer coins each week and have the luxury of closely examining and analyzing every potential purchase. Therefore, when in doubt, pass on the coin.

 

Very true. In addition, when AT coins are submitted, the graders see the "fresh" product. Months down the line, the color might change allowing the current buyer to judge something that the graders had not seen.

 

 

 

TRUTH

[toyonakataro]

Is there any good reading to learn how to detect AT?

I sure have enough time to examine coins, but not enough knowledge.