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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Tom B, post: 1651333, member: 11854&quot;]You are correct that the TPGs weed out an enormous number of altered coins.&nbsp; However, methods of alteration change over time in a cat-and-mouse type scenario with the &quot;coin doctors&quot; employing novel or increasingly advanced methods to fool the TPG graders.&nbsp; The initial waves of some types of alterations get coins into TPG holders or into higher TPG holders than the coins might otherwise deserve, but over time some or many of these methods are revealed to the TPGs or otherwise discovered by the TPGs.&nbsp; Those coins that were altered and certified by TPGs prior to their knowledge of the alteration are out in the market without a warning label, if you will, but if brought to the attention of the TPG they are at times purchased and taken off the market by the TPG.&nbsp; CAC can serve to find some of these coins and alert their owners as to what likely has been done to the coins.&nbsp; This can allow owners to have the coins removed by contacting PCGS or NGC.</p><p><br /></p><p>Additionally, other alterations are well known by the TPGs, but are not obvious after first performed and the alteration is only revealed some time later as it changes.&nbsp; Perhaps the best known of these is the application of putty onto the surfaces of gold coins.&nbsp; This can fill in shallow digs or pin scratches and make a low end AU appear very high end or can make a lower end, generic MS coin appear to be a true gem and much more valuable.&nbsp; However, the putty will dry a bit over time and create a haze on the coin.&nbsp; The TPGs have a hard time finding all these coins in real time when submitted, but again CAC has the advantage of a time delay and can reject these coins.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Truly, the determination of CAC is not always final and I do not always agree with what CAC decides, but the folks who work at CAC are <i>extremely </i> experienced and talented and they take substantially more time to review each coin than the TPGs use.&nbsp; This, in combination with the time delay to see changes in alterations or to learn of new alteration techniques, makes the CAC process something to think about as adding some real value.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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