If I were to submit my coins to PCGS with PCGS Secure, would I get high quality pictures of the coins? Also, does anyone have any reasons why not to use PCGS Secure? Will my coins be graded more conservatively? Thanks in advance
No, I don't think the graders even know the coins they are looking at have been submitted for Secure service.
I believe that all Secure submissions do receive a scanned image for PCGS's use, but it will not be a high quality image unless you ask/pay for a tru view image. I think this higher cost service is best used for more expensive coins (I suggest $1000+) and ones with surfaces that you want their implied guarantee that they are original, such as unusual toning (and thereby want to reassure a future buyer of same). In general, I don't think the additional cost is worth it for most coins nor do I believe they grade coins differently between service levels.
If you want a high quality photograph, just order the trueview service for $10 since the PCGS Secure Plus photo may or may not be to your or anybody elses liking. AND that Secure Plus grading fee is higher than a basic Trueview. As for the grading of the coins, they are graded exactly the same as without Secure Plus.
No. I can "artificially tone" a coin in a heated environment with no chemical additives and the "sniffer" would never know. AT vs NT is a visual observation based upon the graders experience.
True, but, if a chemical had been placed on the coin to tone it, and it is done that way many times, then the sniffer would pick that up. But that's the only scenario where it would pick it up.
Ok I should have expanded to secure service will check for chemically enhanced toning but I was in a hurry figured most knew what I meant sorry
The problem is a lot of folks have mistaken ideas about what exactly the secure service does, or is even capable of doing especially when it comes to the sniffer. And they don't intentionally use the sniffer to check the toning. As 19 said, they do that with their eyes, and they check for AT no matter what level of service you choose, even the cheapest. The primary use of the sniffer is to find out if any material like putty, coin care products, nose grease, etc etc that cannot always be reliably or easily detected with a visual inspection have been added to the coin.