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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Tamaracian, post: 8268735, member: 23122&quot;]<span style="color: #0000ff">[USER=24314]@Insider[/USER]</span> casual or accidental handling of a coin is not &quot;thumbing&quot;, but it can and does frequently leave hairline scratches (and other residue) on the surface--especially in the fields--as exemplified by many proof coins that have no wear but do have hairlines and have been downgraded accordingly.</p><p><br /></p><p>My description of &#039;thumbing&quot; does indicate that to achieve the alteration one does have to intentionally work the coin with pressure over some period of time, and yes, this action can and does move some metal, which may require the use of magnification to see if only minimal effort had been applied, but is readily apparent to the unaided eye if it has been done repeatedly.&nbsp; Examples of this are coins that have been carried as a &quot;lucky piece&quot; in one&#039;s pocket and thumbed on occasion to pass the time or as a nervous habit instead of say smoking; also, frequently older coins or flat, coin-like jewelry suspended in a pendant&nbsp; or watch fob have been &quot;thumbed&quot; in the same manner.</p><p><br /></p><p>If you still think that &quot;thumbing&quot; can&#039;t really move metal try this test:&nbsp; (1) take a pre-1982 low-value Uncirculated Lincoln Cent that is Red and take a photo of both sides.&nbsp; (2) using fresh cotton gloves rub the coin (i.e. &quot;thumbing&quot;) applying significant pressure for about 20-30 seconds on each side.&nbsp; (3) put the coin down and observe that the gloves will have oxidized bronze (or brass, depending upon the year of issue) residue on primarily the Thumb, and also the Forefinger.&nbsp; (4) observe the coin first with your unaided eyes, then compare it to the before photos, and also observe with a 5-8x loupe or other device--you will see a pattern of area where the pressure was applied that will be observably different from the before photos, such as more hot-pinkish and reflective.</p><p><br /></p><p>The topic of &quot;thumbing&quot; or &quot;thumbed&quot; has been discussed in this and other coin forums, as-well-as in several coin publications/books.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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