... what they all mean will probably never be a subject upon which everyone can agree.

>> I do not clean chips.

I do. Every one (except the absolute mint chips straight from the cage). And I see nothing wrong with doing so. In the coin hobby, however, cleaning coins is considered a major no-no. In fact, the guidelines of PCGS prohibit them from slabbing a coin which has been cleaned.

>> Look at Rich's BPOE. You can still see the burn.

Much less noticeable, though. And I have successfully removed cigarette burns entirely from some chips (depends on how bad the burn is). I have reattached partially detached inlays, smoothed out ragged edge nicks, cleaned off oil-based marker, reseated coin inlays that were loose and flattened warped chips. None of which, IMO, is "wrong".

>> I would not call cleaning a chip, altering.

Nor would I, though I would call it "altering the condition" of the chip.

----- jim o\-S