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Message:: [QUOTE="rmpsrpms, post: 2999997, member: 31773"]This is really not true, especially for BU Bronze coins. Quite easy to tell if they have been dipped, MS70'd, or any number of other treatments. The reality of discovering an altered surface coin is not to look at the coin and say "this coin has been dipped", but to look at it and say "this coin is original". In other words, it's easy to say if a coin has original surfaces. If it does not, then it has been tampered with. I can tell with 95% certainty on BU Bronze coins. I am not so well-versed on Copper, and even less so on Silver, but there are folks who can tell you with >95% certainty on these. Circulated coins of all metals are a different study and may be less certain with more variability. The problem lurking in the background (or maybe the gorilla in the room) has been alluded to...it would not be a wise move for Numismatics to suddenly become aware of the coins that have been altered in some way. Of course the damage this would do varies by series. As has been said previously, most 19th century coins have been altered, so it is very difficult to find a coin with original surfaces. This is known by the collectors of these coins, so they are traded with a "wink and a nod". The damage would vary by series and specialty, with many folks not caring, while others would eschew any altered coin. Original coins would spike in value, while altered coins would drop precipitously.[/QUOTE]