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Message:: [QUOTE="GDJMSP, post: 366395, member: 112"]Yes you are correct. But with experience you can detect most artificial toning. But there are cases where even an expert cannot tell AT from NT. But if an expert can't tell - does it matter ?     There is no documentation, there is only experience and the opinions of the leading names in the numismatic hobby - and they all say the same thing. All you have to do is read enough to find that out. And then of course there is common sense. If exposed to the air, coins tone - period. That is just a fact. And since there has been no method of keeping coins in an airtight environment, even in today's world - the coins are exposed to the air and always have been. So if a coin is not toned in some way or another- it only stands to reason that the coin has been dipped. Now I will grant you that there are always exceptions to any rule. And that is why the most experienced people there are in this hobby of ours say that fully 80% or more of all untoned older coins have been dipped. But everyone is free to believe what they want. And by the way, the vast majority of untoned coins in slabs have been dipped. The leading TPG's all slab dipped coins. And sometimes, they even dip the coins for you.[/QUOTE]