What Does "altered Surfaces" Mean?

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Author	Replies: 4 / Views: 11,219
funcitypapa Valued Member United States 76 Posts	Posted 01/13/2012 07:49 am Recently, I came across a rare 1804 dime certified by one of the major services as VF 20---"altered surfaces". Can anyone tell me what this means? We have a million different codes for various sorts of damage as well as descriptive words to include: cleaning, improper cleaning, scratch, dent, bend, tooling, envirionmental damage, corroded, and the list goes on and on. I always have a suspicion when the specific fault is not clearly defined. I feel the same way with other collectibles such as stamps where the certificate reads "several faults" but the faults are not further defined or where any qualifying fault is preceded by the words "very tiny." Do others feel the same way? Report this Post to the Staff

numismaniac Valued Member United States 361 Posts	Posted 01/13/2012 08:44 am I have always thought that as being quite vague as well. Dipped or perhaps artificially toned are two that come to mind when I see altered surface. Report this Post to the Staff
funcitypapa Valued Member United States 76 Posts	Posted 01/13/2012 08:53 am I really don't understand this practice for any item----but for an item like an 1804 dime where the wording of the opinion can affect market value by thousands of dollars? The graders/expertizers certainly understand this Report this Post to the Staff
oih82w8 Pillar of the Community United States 7840 Posts	Posted 01/13/2012 09:36 am IMO, Altered Surfaces means that there is something "different" with the coin that the TPGers can't agree on, so it's kinda a "catch all" description. Here is what NGC has on their website; SURFACE ALTERATIONS A coin that has been treated in some way that changes its general appearance cannot be graded numerically and is eligible for Details Grading only. Most such surface alterations are performed through the application of chemicals, fillers or heat. ARTIFICIAL TONING refers to the process whereby patina is imparted to a coin in an accelerated reaction process using chemicals and / or heat. Artificial toning may be removable with proper conservation by NCS but, since it often hides improper cleaning or other surface issues, the coin may yet require Details Grading. http://www.ngccoin.com/details/alte...urfaces.aspx ...and PCGS; Altered Surface This No Grade covers anything added to the surface of the coin to either "improve" its appearance or to cover marks. Surface alteration methods include adding: dental wax, putty, lacquer, nose grease, etc. "Thumbing" is the application of a putty-like material to fill in marks, scratches, and other defects or to haze over portions of the coin. Coatings (such as lacquer), while intended to protect coins, result in a No Grade because it is impossible to determine the quality of the underlying surfaces.http://www.pcgs.com/grades.html Edited by oih82w8 01/13/2012 09:36 am Report this Post to the Staff
westcoin Pillar of the Community United States 9792 Posts	Posted 01/14/2012 03:08 am If it's PCGS the code numbers on the certificate will tell you more - maybe: No Grade Description Printed Description Holdered 82 Filed Rims 83 Peeling Lamination 84 Holed and Plugged 90 Not Genuine 91 Questionable Color 92 Cleaning 93 Planchet Flaw 94 Altered Surfaces 95 Scratch / Rim Dent 96 Refund - No Service 97 Environmental Damages 98 Damage 99 PVC Residue 98 Damage 99 PVC Residue "Buy the Book Before You Buy the Coin" - Aaron R. Feldman - "And read it" - Me 2013! ANA Life Member #3288 in good standing since 1981, ANS, Early American Coppers Member (EAC), Colonial Coin Collectors Club member (C4), Conder Token Collector Club member (CTCC), Civil War Token Society (CWTS) member, Liberty Seated Collectors Club (LSCC) & Numismatic Bibliomania Society member (NBS), USMex, Member in good standing, 2¢ variety collector. See my want page: http://goccf.com/t/140440 Report this Post to the Staff
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