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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;desertgem, post: 1259649, member: 15199&quot;]Siggi, years ago, At was usually done so crudely that the TPG didn&#039;t really worry, they felt and many collectors still do, that they could tell an AT coin from a NT. But more refined methods were developed so many AT coins got into TPG holders and some actually later bragged they had fooled the &quot;experts&quot; and some even had before and after photos. Even today such photos of raw or detailed coins that eventually ended up in TPG holders can pop up, but usually now it is a buyer or a whistle-blower that finds a coin previously 1 grade at an auction house and appearing much different later at another auction. People have learned how to AT a coin in a holder, and how to AT a coin so it appears as identical to a known NT coin. Such as many ( as you can often see in posts here) claim there is no chemical difference detectable by testing, and the only real difference is intent ( which is also unknown).</p><p><br /></p><p>This led most higher level TPG companies to slow or stop new grading of toned coins that they felt were borderline, but there are many thousands that are slabbed from way before the concern and are the same as any newer slabbed toned coins. Some prefer market acceptable ( such as PCGS, NGC, etc., with the version of the holder playing a part, as old the better) and Market Unacceptable rather than AT/NT.&nbsp; Some collectors and dealers claim they can always tell the difference, but people who tone coins AT certainly aren&#039;t going to have a public test, it would ruin their livelyhood.</p><p><br /></p><p>Jim[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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