I recently traveled to visit family. While there, my mother gave me two 5 oz. ATB pucks, Mt Hood and Yosemite. I brought them home in my carry-on bag because I don't trust baggage handlers. As fate would have it, when my bag went through the X-ray, it was pulled aside for a hand search. The TSA agent took everything from the bag and swabbed some of it for explosives. As he inspected the pucks he swabbed the boxes and after opening them proceeded to swab the inside of the boxes and the plastic capsule. I was very afraid that he would open the capsule and swab the coin , but he didn't, and I was relieved :smile. When the inspection was finished and I had passed, the agent explained that it was the pucks that drew attention and that he knew the value of the coins and that swabbing them would cause damage to them and he didn't want to cause any more harm or upset than was absolutely necessary. I thanked him for his care and concern and went merrily on my way. At least there is one good TSA agent in this world! It was good to get home :hail:.
Not at all. I think its just a dry cotton gauze pad that after the swab, is run through a machine to detect explosives.
