Seeking Advice for a 3D Modeling Project of Global Gold Bullion Coins

Hello fellow CoinTalk members,

I'm jumping into an ambitious project and could really use your collective expertise. I plan to digitize and create 3D models of a collection of gold bullion coins that represent the most significant and widely traded varieties globally. The goal is to produce realistic and detailed models for those who may not have the means to acquire or secure the physical coins but wish to explore and appreciate these collections digitally.

Project overview
I aim to initially focus on key coins like the American Gold Eagle, Canadian Maple Leaf, South African Krugerrand, British Britannia, Chinese Gold Panda, and Australian Kangaroo (+others?). To manage the scope, I intend to select coins based on their global recognition and trade volume.

Selection Criteria:

• Years: I'm looking to model key years that feature major design changes or the introduction of new denominations. For example, the 1986 American Gold Eagle or the 2013 updated Britannia.
• Weights: I'm considering standard weights like 1 oz, as these are typically the most popular among traders and collectors.

Technical Approach:
I plan to use advanced 3D modeling techniques and software such as ZBrush and Blender, incorporating multiple real photos to ensure accuracy and detail.

Below you can find one of the coins I'm working on already, a Canadian Maple Leaf 2023, 1 oz.





Request for Community Input:
1. Coin Selection: Which other coins would you consider essential for a globally representative collection? I'm particularly interested in coins that have both numismatic significance and are emblematic of their countries.

2. Key Historical Years: Are there specific years of release or design changes in these coins that are especially noteworthy?

3. Modeling Tips: If you have experience in 3D modeling, especially with intricate designs like those found on bullion coins, what tips can you share? Any particular software tools or techniques that have worked well for you?

4. Quality Imagery: I'm actively looking for high-quality, perpendicular images of bullion coin faces where the light is diffused enough to prevent strong shadows. This isn't always the case with catalog images, where the coin might be slightly tilted and contain shadows. Any help on this would be extremely appreciated.

5. Legal and Ethical Considerations: Any advice on regards of copyright and reproduction laws in digital modeling of bullion coins would also be greatly appreciated.

This project is both a learning curve and a passion project for me, and I’m eager to absorb as much knowledge and as many recommendations as you are willing to share. Thank you in advance for your guidance and insights!

Renato

 

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The various mints will have a copyright on the expression of the design. They may also have the copyright on the image itself or that may be held by the coin's designer - that is sometimes murky.

For example, the Frasier obverse bust of George Washington executed in 1932 and placed on a $5 gold commemorative in 1999 and the quarter from 2022.

https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-medal-programs/commemorative-coins/george-washington-gold

The mint likely has the copyright on the finished designs, with LIBERTY and IGWT.

The design itself?

It was executed after 1928 so it's not in the public domain due to the final expiration of copyright.

Did Ms. Frasier or her estate register and renew the copyright on the design? If they didn't renew it after 28 years, i.e. in 1960, it would have gone PD.

Was ownership of the design transferred to the USG as part of the 1932 contest?

If you really wanted to know, a FOIA request to the mint is in order.

 

I'm sorry, but this is throwing up some red flags.
Just so everyone else knows, 3D models of coins can be used to laser cut counterfeit dies, and those counterfeit dies can strike counterfeit coins.
I honestly don't buy your story.

If you are actually trying to do this with a good intent, I'm fine with it, but I would suggest you look for your answers yourself instead of asking for free handouts.

 

Hello @Coins4Eli, thank you for your remark. You can be sure that I have considered the issue of counterfeiting, and that's why I'm only planning to release animated videos of the coins, not the 3D models themselves, from which it would be impossible to produce any physical object. Additionally, producing 3D physical objects using laser cutting or other similar technologies might require other considerations that I have not paid attention to while building the model. My sole objective is to provide a 3D animated video that serves as an artistic representation of each coin.

 

@BurtonStraussIII, thanks for those insights. After considering both of your comments, I'm thinking of focusing on gold coins minted in the 19th century, as well as older historical ones, for which the designs are most probably in the public domain—I will verify on a case-by-case basis.

I guess my project was short-lived and needs to be reoriented. Your feedback was extremely valuable!

 

And you would be competing with the many Asian " Duplicators" from acquired templates. Their nonsilver "silver dollars" are getting better and better usually for under$2 -$5. People in general public usually don't know the difference as you can tell from ITSY and Ebay ads, many fakes, IMO

 

Oh my God! No, I don't want to compete with criminals, but to bring value without harming anyone. As I mentioned, my objective is exclusively to create animated video clips, but I understand and feel how much harm counterfeit coins are causing to the numismatic community.

I'm not a lawyer, but I'm educating myself about which models would be viable and which are not. For instance, I am considering whether a clear mark with an additional mention engraved on the model itself would make it viable, and whether coin designs from the public domain can be digitized without legal implications. I'm thinking, for instance, about the Liberty 1907, designed by Saint-Gaudens, or historical ones.

I may be too naive, but not ill-intended. The models would be used exclusively to produce animated clips, not sold or used for any other purpose.