I have heard the term Mahogany to describe a coin. The first is what fits that bill IMO. The second coin is just so nice.
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just clicked reply to thread instead of POST... I just lost a freakin hour long documentary. gawd......... just as well .... everyone would have glazed over. Those 2 cents came from a super nice guy LordMarcovan over on CU. All of his stuff is really nice, I don't think anyone is noticing him. He isn't dealer or prolific poster... Lehigh those are my photos Disruptek.. sheesh.. hahahaa naaaaa He is one of the few though ... who takes the time to post awesome images (the way it should be)on his ebay listings. Everyone needs/should see the original images of the coins above to get the full appreciation of where I think , digital imagery is going. PM me your email addy and I will gladly send them to you or anyone who is interested.. They are twice the size of the enlargement on here. I think Photobucket is compressing and does CT... Actually if you have never seen a Lincoln cent at 2500x 2500 PM me... The bit depth is good enough that at 200% the images are still reasonably crisp. My focus however is not...... I believe strongly that this - quality high resolution images is and will be part and parcel of all coin sales in the future. When coins arrive here, they go under the lens first. Then I take the time to look at the coin in hand. It gives you/me a much better uhhhhh idea? of what I am actually looking at ... it's hard to explain. I really feel strongly that this is the future. In many ways, viewing spectacular photos of coin only make the coin that much better when you actually see it in hand. The converse is not true!! see a great coin in hand and then take a high res pic of it and you will be disappointed. Again - this is my opinion, this is the feeling I get. I was not initially impressed with the coins when I opened the package. Holy cow. When I actually got them up on the computer screen, I was blown away.... then I pull the coins back out and seriously looked at them instead of the casual glance a $20 coin would get. SO I got new flips and very carefully put them back away I come to serious coin collecting with a strong computer back ground and a fresh set of eyes with 50 years of real life school of hard knocks experience. My opinions and thoughts don't have any persuasion or background or study or any influence other the my alter egos that sometimes talk to me Anyways I think that high resolution images can hurt the initial first impression that one might get when seeing a coin for the first time since they exaggerate every defect. Especially if you don't have experience with how coin looks in hand and then how it looks when imaged in a controlled setting. I estimate at full resolution, I am at 75x. It is a tremendously different experience to looking at a coin jammed in your face with a little peice of plastic crammed in your eye all the while trying to find the right light to actually see something on the coin at 10x. BTW - one of the neatest things is to zoom a coin with a center button wheel on a mouse and drag the the coin around on the screen for quick viewing/study. These are 5mb images so you need lots of processor umph and enough RAM otherwise..... I am running a 2 year old 4 quad processor with 16gig of RAM. Humann88 I would be happy to share the details of my set up if you see this message and reply again. As mentioned I spent an hour writing out my entire set up and reasoning for the way I shoot. It is different than the way a lot of the pros shoot coins. IMO The most important thing for achieving great photos is a camera set up that you can tie into your computer for viewing the coin and taking the pic with a mouse click. Canon Utilities that come with the DLSR's are perfect. Nikon and their proprietary software doesn't include this function. I am shooting a used Canon 40D from the bay for $4-500 - I built a lens from an old Nikon film camera and got similar results that you see above. I am now shooting a Canon 100mm Macro. The lens will cost you as much or more than the camera. I also bought mine used also from the bay for about $450. The auto focus function is unnecessary IMO this where it comes down to personal preference. This camera set up is dedicated to coins. Although I did take out to get some aftermath shots of a snow storm The 100mm Macro lens is just plain AWESOME! I think anyone who has spent time with camera equipment producing professional results will tell you that once you have the equipment you have to then find the settings that work the best for you. I studied Guru Goodmans methods and settings and they just don't produce the results I get from my own trial and error. A number of people who shoots coins tell me I am not doing it right! I happy to share the details of my settings for anyone who asks - just keep in mind that I believe, if you don't copy them all exactly you wont get the same results. In other words when I admire someones photos and ask for their settings and apply them to my camera, I don't get the same results. When I use Goodmans settings.. yuck! Anyways, I love shooting coins and like to help others get great pictures. I spent 6 months studying and the last 4 months building and just like the MS65 that you got makes you think of the MS66 you don't have. ...... Your new camera equipment you just got will make you think about the next camera you don't have..... yet! I believe. I am not sure about this yet that the 21mp is where I want to be since the sensor is 24mm x 36mm vs 14mm X 22mm in the 40D - this will give true 1:1 imaging since I primarily shoot 19mm Lincolns. My coin image sizes, with a filled frame, are at 2500 x 2500 . I have read some things about the EOS7D and it is 1/2 the price of the 5D Mark II.. I think it has the same 14mm sensor but somehow squeaks another 3 million pixels out of it. So that would bump my photos up to 3600x3600 plus the video on the 7D is HD 1080p at typically 1980 x1200. I need that for the rocking oscillating random orbit turntable I am building. If anyone lives in the Philly area and has both the Mark II and 7D could you swing by and let me check them out? lol.. anyways if anyone starts a photo thread and ever wants my 2 cents pm me and I will happy reply to the post. Also if anyone wants to cataloge or document their collection and doesn't mind traveling, I would be thrilled to help at no charge. I have an office dedicated to coin collecting. okay I babbled enough.... did ya get all that? niether did I!
EEW, you might wanna consider starting a small side business shooting coins. Your photos are top-notch.
Beautiful toning on the 1909 and 1909 vdb cents. I agree with you on the details noticed by a digital picture versus a view through a magnifying glass. I sometimes think a coin looks good in the hand but realize issues when viewed from my screen.
Nice write up there. Truly great photos. I've only just recently just been thinking about doing some serious photos. I feel it would improve the prices of my coins on ebay. Right now I have a Kodak m1093IS. I'm not sure I can even stellar coin photos with it yet. This weekend I'll work on a setup, then I'll be able to tell what it can do. Any tips on building a setup?
Looks like a small die crack, or maybe planchet defect, on the lower reverse of the non-VDB cent. Also it looks like the ghost of the letters "V D B" that was filed off the die are lurking at the bottom. Beautiful coins.
Amazing pics EYE.... and I agree with you 100% regarding the way imaging will (already has) been incorporated into the hobby..... and look forward to the day when it's use is applied by the major tpg's to help reduce grading variability.
LMV has been posting on other forums for a long time and he's a part-time dealer in addition to being a collector. Heck of a nice guy, too. The problem with photos as the only indicator of a coin are that photos, if they are shot well, show a coin in the best light. Whereas the coin in-hand often looks quite different.
yup,,, I've seen photo's that both enhanced and detracted from the coin..... The biggest advantage imo is that it, as I think EYE mentioned,,, is that it allows you to get a much better view of the detail of the coin,, hidden nic's that aren't apparent in hand, or nic's hidden under toning, or oils, laqu, or other stuff that is affixed to the surface of the coin and is not readily apparent under a loop. Anyway,, for judging a coins detail merit's, and strike, photo's or optical imaging/measuring systems offer a boat load of promise. PCGS sniffer may be a first step at eliminating some variability, next step may be the incorporation of systems to better quantify 'strike' and 'detail' and 'luster'....
