How'd I do, paper experts?

Discussion in 'Paper Money' started by gboulton, Sep 26, 2010.

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  1. gboulton

    gboulton 7070 56.98 pct complete

    So, yesterday saw me and the fam at a local market of fleas.

    The trip involved 4 tables (the last belonging to a gentleman I've done numismatic business with in the past, and trade with well) and considerable wheeling/dealing/trading up.

    The end result? I turned $110 into 3 MS60+ common Peace Dollars aaaand :

    10_obv.jpg
    20_obv.png
    50_obv.png

    Now...admittedly...i'm a complete novice when it comes to any paper currency. I just happen to have WANTED some confederate notes for a long time, and the day seemed to be going so well. :)

    I HAVE tried to compare them against the information found at http://www.csacurrency.com/csacur/csades.htm Certainly, the ink seems the right color, and shows definite skips in a few places. The notes have the correct colors, and the paper has the feel and smell I'd expect from older notes.

    Bottom line...I'm pretty pleased...I got something I'd wanted at a price i felt was below what i might have paid....and the 3 extra peace dollars kinda pad me a little against being completely ****ed by counterfeits.

    What do you paper currency experts think? Did I do ok, or am have I just paid a bit of a stupid tax? :D
     
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  3. coinmaster1

    coinmaster1 Active Member

    What did you do to those pics?!?! :O
     
  4. cerdsalicious

    cerdsalicious BigShot

    I hope the scans and actuals are completely different.
     
  5. gboulton

    gboulton 7070 56.98 pct complete

    Indeed...scans are horrible. Did the post in a hurry, had to go out...looking at them now, they're garbage.

    Not really sure what I did wrong there..let me work on em and see if I can't do better.
     
  6. Dave M

    Dave M Francophiliac

    It looks to me like you may have scanned at 100dpi or so. Always better to scan at 300 or so then reduce for the web.

    Dave
     
  7. gboulton

    gboulton 7070 56.98 pct complete

    Well, my concern is that you're right...it DOES look that way...

    But those were scanned at _600_ dpi, and then reduced.

    I don't seem to be able to get images down to 600-800px wide (suitable for posting here) by ANY means...either reducing hi res scans, or simply scanning to that size at ANY res...without introducing the ghosting, and even some really strange colorations (blues, even oranges) that aren't on the actual bills.

    I'm somewhat leery of scanning them TOO often, since I don't particular care for the idea of exposing them repeatedly to bright light.

    They've really got me flummoxed. Perhaps later today i'll try to simply get some quality photographs of them, so at least they can be reasonably well represented.

    If that doesn't produce any satisfactory results, then I'll just stash them in the safe, remain quietly content with my purchase, and go on with life. *heh*
     
  8. krispy

    krispy krispy

    gboulton:

    Some scanning comments:
    Check that you have the lighting from the scanner set correctly, it may be called 'adaptive lighting' or something to that effect. Try adjusting the level/angle of light the scanner is using with the settings in the scanner softare tool. In addition to the above comments about scale and resolution for web. You may also play with the 'descreening' filters if you have such settings to work with in the scan software.

    Additionally, try placing a sheet of black or dark solid color behind the notes when they scan to help separate the notes from the background. If the notes are in plastic/mylar sleeves, gently remove them for scanning as reflections of the lamp off the sleeves can affect your outcome.

    And one last thing... your scanner may have color profile modes available for scanning for different output/uses. Make sure that your software isn't set up in the CMYK mode and saved files in the wrong file type for use on the web. Even if you have a png or jpg file, a CMYK color profile will conflict when the the file is uploaded-- it can look like these scans, which is why I mention it. Make sure your scan software settings are set up correctly, in RGB color profile, for the settings mentioned above in terms of resolution, scale and adjust any lighting controls you have. I wouldn't worry so much about the lamp hurting the notes from a few repeated scans, they have been through a lot and this type of light is not going to inflict noticeable damage.
     
  9. gboulton

    gboulton 7070 56.98 pct complete

    Great tips, krispy. I'll look into all of that when I have a chance. Thanks!
     
  10. mpcusa

    mpcusa "Official C.T. TROLL SWEEPER"

    Those scans seem to be on the light side is there any color on those notes??
     
  11. coinmaster1

    coinmaster1 Active Member

    @gboulton:
    can you post those new pics soon?
     
  12. stealer

    stealer Roller of Coins

    I don't collect or remotely know anything about paper money but I think it's fair to say they're fake.
     
  13. krispy

    krispy krispy

    With no experience what informs you that they are fake? Do please explain.
     
  14. gboulton

    gboulton 7070 56.98 pct complete

    Let's not get into a he said/she said please.

    When I have the chance to try some of the tips above (it may be a few days) I will, and then those with the background to do so are welcome to comment.
     
  15. stealer

    stealer Roller of Coins

    Like I said, no experience so to me they look almost like play money. I know that bills did look like that, but with some of the ink missing in certain parts was what led me to my verdict. Probably wrong, so your turn to enlighten me :)
     
  16. gboulton

    gboulton 7070 56.98 pct complete

    Stealer,

    Suffice to say, the actual bills look almost nothing like the miserable scans that started this thread.
     
  17. krispy

    krispy krispy

    They seem to have great promise though and I anticipate seeing them when you can get better images. I'm hanging in there until then... :thumb:
     
  18. Daggarjon

    Daggarjon Supporter**

    It seems to me on a public forum that everyone is allowed to post there comments if allowed by FORUM rules without ridicule by other memebers.
     
  19. Duke Kavanaugh

    Duke Kavanaugh The Big Coin Hunter

    They do look like a possible counterfeit but I do need to see the new scans. As for worrying about the bright light from the scanner I don't think you need to worry about that.
    Until the new scans, can you tell us about the feel of the paper? Is it thick or thin, is it like smooth or waxy, does the ink look to be ontop of the note or in the rest of the printing of it?
    Those should help even before the new scans.
     
  20. krispy

    krispy krispy

    How can you detect possible counterfeits from these scans?
     
  21. Duke Kavanaugh

    Duke Kavanaugh The Big Coin Hunter

    I don't know that's why I said possible. I have seen many repo's of the bottom 2 that have that over printed look. I also noticed that the first one vs the second 2 look different and the scanner being off I would guess would make them uniform which these are not. I asked many questions as the repo's I have held usually have a thicker card stock as Confeds are very thin like tissue paper and the repo's usually are not. Plus the repo's have a slight feel of wax verses a real one.
     
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