I remember more than a few people arguing on the other site years ago about how their reissue came with a chrome stop tail.
The regulars were adamant that reissues didn't come with chrome stop tails and that these folks had purchased tainted/modded guitars while the owners were adamant that their guitars came new in that condition.
It was slightly amusing at the time.
But suffice it to say, there are R9s out there that came fron Gibson with chrome stop tails as other than changing the serial number on the head stock Gibson did nothing else before selling these.