"From a certain point of view" is a totally apt description for this (not to mention the movie quote tie-in).
I'm just a Joe Schmoe-type myself, but my thoughts have always been that there were certainly alterations made to the original 1976 Stunt helmet molds, either to make new versions (e.g. Hero, serrated tube-prototype, etc.) or to refurb any damage from continued usage. The real mystery to me is what the status of the molds was from 1976 through 2005, as far as condition, deterioration, damage, etc. As has been stated many times, AA's marketing statements were misleading in that regard.
All marketing arguments aside, the real assessment of the lasting "value" of AA's helmets comes from two main criteria IMO:
1) That they were made by the same guy who originally made them for the film.
2) That they may have come from an original mold, even if that mold was drastically altered from its virgin 1976 Stunt condition.
How much those considerations are ultimately worth to you will vary from person to person.
-Todd