Quote:
Originally Posted by barrysloate
Scariest thing about the coin doctoring is the surfaces are smoothed using a laser. Wouldn't that be virtually impossible to detect?
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With enough magnification ? No.
With the usual 10X magnifier? Yes.
I've seen only one altered coin that I know of, and it was done well before the laser stuff. Added mintmark, not really obvious, but it also didn't look right either. The dealer whose shop I hung out at had just taken it back, having sold it 15+ years earlier. (It failed TPG when the buyer wanted to sell)
Easy return too, basically a "Hey, that coin I bought a long time ago turned out to be altered" "Really? Do you have it with you?" "Yes, here it is" "Jeez how did I miss that? How much did you pay? I seem to remember $X" "Yeah, that sounds about right" " Is a check ok" - Not even a question of whether he'd take it back. He used it as an example of what to look for for a while, last I saw it it was in a cardboard 2x2 holder with a lot of writing describing the alteration and a couple big red stripes. It probably found it's way to the smelter eventually.
That's one of the reasons I still visit and buy stuff from him. No drama, even when there's a problem.
Steve B
Steve B