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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;BadThad, post: 2850807, member: 17261&quot;]According to the PCGS website:</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Last I saw, it was only using FTIR Attenuated Total Reflectance. A technique that is not very sensitive at all. It is not sensitive enough to detect VC on a coin surface. In the PCGS operation video, they showed VERDI-GONE as a material they detect. That is TOTAL hogwash. No how and no way would they ever be able to detect it because it was 100% volatile. Their guy almost grabbed the bottle but then chose &quot;nose grease&quot;, then he put on a HUGE glob on the coin and did the demo. Of course, it was detected as the layer was several millimeters deep. Had he chosen VG, the demo would have failed - even if he put a huge drop on the coin!</p><p><br /></p><p>Obviously, shown by the PCGS statement on the sniffer, they are not scientists. They misspelled FOURIER TRANSFORM! EDXRF only detects elements, not compounds. Unless the instrument is super sensitive like the type used with an electron microscope, they will get no surface contamination data. I have both instruments in my lab and I know them VERY well. Only an electron microscope with an EDS detector would be good for use with coins. We do microscopic elemental analysis on metal pieces every day.</p><p><br /></p><p>PCGS banters some pseudo-scientific jargon to scare people. Their real goal is to try to stop people from submitting altered coins under the fear &quot;you will be caught&quot;. When in reality, it detects very few alterants.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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