Thread: My first attempt at scanning some notes

I posted a couple of these notes already, but I just bought a new scanner and wanted to see how they came out here. Nothing really valuable I'm guessing.

On a side note, this scanner I bought, Canon LiDe 110, won't scan the new 20's and 10's. I keep getting an error message. Thought it was something I did, so I uninstalled the scanner and reinstalled. Still won't scan the newer bills. Oh well.

Last pic:

Please be brutally honest as far as the quality of pictures. I really never uploaded a lot of pictures before, I used Picasa with my new scanner. Hope to upload more finds!

Your scans look good jmf, but seem to be a little bit fuzzy. I have a LiDe 210 and get really great results with it, especially on currency. I'm not familiar with the 110, so don't know its capabilities. I think your scans are fine though, unless you're looking for auction quality images.

Bruce

Originally Posted by jmf2737

On a side note, this scanner I bought, Canon LiDe 110, won't scan the new 20's and 10's. I keep getting an error message. Thought it was something I did, so I uninstalled the scanner and reinstalled. Still won't scan the newer bills. Oh well.

Anti-counterfeiting software in new scanners prevents you from scanning newer notes.

I'm thinking a little fuzzy as well. I'm surprised at all of the problems with scanners on the forum. I use an HP all in one and have never had a problem.

With scanning notes, the new notes have to be scanned on an old scanner. I have an old HP and a Canon in strategic reserve for scanning. I have been playing around with scanning banknotes for about 13-14 years now, there are all sorts of little tweaks you can do - adjusting resolution is the absolute biggest and most important one.


I typically scan older notes with 300dpi, but some newer notes with microprinting etc I scan at 600dpi. The next step is lighting/brightness, then background colours - some notes need to be scanned with the lid of the scanner open - giving a back background. For some older and worn notes I prefer to use a grey coloured sheet of paper taped to the cover of the scanner - then I can blend it in with my background image.

This one is an older note with some wear on the edges - I scanned this with the lid open, and then worked with it in my ancient software that I had to convert to 64bit to use and did cut outs with the background to produce the effect here:



Which is best when imaging items with uneven edges - early Nationals were often cut with slicers or even scissors so edges are often not straight so you have to accomodate that in your image.

Thanks for the advice. I read somewhere here that it was best to scan notes using the highest resolution, 600dpi. Would scanning with a less dpi makes them "less fuzzy?". Are there any tools in Picasa to sharpen the images and make them "less fuzzy?"

Less fuzzy - more resolution - but then you might have to adjust the image size also. When I scan at 300dpi I get an image that is approximately 4X the actual size - then I can "lift" out vignettes etc that I want closeups of. I resize the whole note size to about 800 pixels wide to adjust for screen sizes on PC's. 800 Pixels seems to be the standard maximum width that most browsers process easily and don't do an auto-resize like here on CoinTalk.

My best advice is to play around with your scanner and change settings and see the results - it has to be a trial and error or satisfaction thing.

An example of a high resolution, large sized image that I cut out of the banknote scan for an enhanced image of the vignette subject:

I'm sorry I don't have anything to add to this since my scanner works rather well. It is approximately 6 years old though, so that might be why. SM, I had no idea you had so many problems with scanning notes!

I thought the title read "My first attempt at scamming some.."

Turns out I am just a lazy reader. phew.

Originally Posted by scottishmoney

Less fuzzy - more resolution - but then you might have to adjust the image size also. When I scan at 300dpi I get an image that is approximately 4X the actual size...

I've always been envious of the quality of your scans. Now I see how much experimentation you've done. My biggest problem has been moiré patterns (pronounced moray, for those unfamiliar). These are the geometric patterns you get when the fine lines of an engraving are picked up by a scanner that scans in fine straight lines, but slightly askew. You get interference patterns like the one below. Sometimes very interesting but not usually welcome.

I usually scan at 200 dpi, but it sounds like you use 300 dpi and then resize -- correct? I think I've still had this problem occasionally even at that resolution.

Not bad JMF. It came out good.

Originally Posted by gsalexan

I've always been envious of the quality of your scans. Now I see how much experimentation you've done. My biggest problem has been moiré patterns (pronounced moray, for those unfamiliar). These are the geometric patterns you get when the fine lines of an engraving are picked up by a scanner that scans in fine straight lines, but slightly askew. You get interference patterns like the one below. Sometimes very interesting but not usually welcome.

I usually scan at 200 dpi, but it sounds like you use 300 dpi and then resize -- correct? I think I've still had this problem occasionally even at that resolution.

There are a few Giesecke & Devrient printed notes from the German States in the late 19th century that are real stinkers for moire patterns - the others are usually Joh Enschede en Zonen printed Dutch notes from the mid 1930's into the '40's. With those I have to crank up the volume/resolution and tweak the image size. It took some experimentation and more than a few frustrating results to finally be able to image them but only marginally and still not quite what I would want:



This reverse was one of the biggest stinkers I have ever had to work with - the fine multicoloured pattern on the reverse - a pretty high tech accomplishment for a 70+ year old printing and one that messes with modern scanners. But back to the 100+ year old German notes:



And then look at the finely balanced lithographic printed background:



The lithographed printing must have been accomplished with multiple colour passes and then the intaglio printing with the borders, text and vignettes was done last. Notice that this aged note clearly has microprinted text in the background. Of course this note was another bit of a stinker, not as much as the Dutch notes but still a bit of work.