coin photo copyrights

Has anyone ever copyrighted a coin photo? What is the process and how was your experience?

 

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To the best of my knowledge, all you have to do is write copyright on the photo itself and it's legally binding. At least that's what I was taught in college. You can do it digitally.

 

You don't even have to do that. If you take a photo, you own it. That said, you may well forfeit some rights by posting it on various sites(read their terms of service!) but you don't have to mark an image to own it.

 

The copyright symbol isn't technically legally binding because anyone can put a copyright symbol on anyone else's picture and claim it for their own. But the post above was basically correct. Copyright is valid from the moment of creation - with or without a copyright symbol. But, if you're fearing lawsuits or infringement, you have to prove that you're the original copyright holder and the best way to do that is to register the photo(s) with the US copyright office --> http://copyright.gov/eco/

The last time I looked (which was a little while ago) the process was not free, it involved paperwork and also took some time. Most people choose not to follow the process due to the hassle and many feel that the chance of infringement doesn't outweigh the effort of going through the registration process, but that will vary by situation.

 

I guess it boils down to the 'care' factor. Depending on how important your creation is, if others want to copy it and claim that it's theirs - there's little you can do especially if its coming from countries that don't care much about copyright 'laws'.

 

Here's my concern:

I have a medal that seems very scarce. The only images of it at all anywhere online are part of the MN Historical Society. There is a copyrighted image of the piece in their museum and they want $7 to use their image. I want to have the same type of ownership before posting an image anywhere of it.

 

It is correct that you own what you create as long as you aren't getting paid to create it. The copyright symbol is an abbreviated universal symbol usually followed by an abbreviated owners name. It simply states that you own the photograph or any other creation you own. Do you have to put it on there to own it? No. A photograph or any other printed work is easier to prove its yours, if your name is on it.

 

I received an email from a television show wanting to use one of my website photos.
I checked on the company and told them it was all right to use it.

 

From my experience, once you upload an image on the internet, it's nearly impossible to enforce 'copyright rights'. You can kindly ask someone to remove your image and if it doesn't work, maybe take it higher up to their web host content provider.

In the past when I noticed that some of my coin images were used on ebay, I had to ask them to remove them. Some complied, however a good number of them refused to do so. It used to be a lot easier to report to ebay to take them down but now you have to sign paperwork to declare that the images are yours to start off with.

 

You can register thousands of photos in one shot at http://www.copyright.gov/eco/ and it costs $35 last time I did it. Send small (500px) sized images zipped into an archive. The site is a bit confusing, you start with "register a claim".

 

It's immaterial in this case because it's a medal we're discussing, but more generally to my knowledge it isn't possible to copyright an image of US currency/coinage. It's just a picture of government property, not a "creation" which belongs to the creator.

I do not have a citation at the moment, but I'll see what I can dig up tonite after work.

 

The US currency/coin design is public domain, but the image you create OF it is copyrighted.

 

I agree.

ps Conder101.
Do you need to update your sig to 333 production varieties after MSNS? It was good to see you there.

 

Citation:

http://www.coinsoftime.com/Articles/Copyright_of_Coin_Photographs.html

 

If I read between the lines, a watermark in the photo would constitute originality to the photo. That actually brings a better understanding now for me as to why I see so many photos with watermarks.

Now, how do you watermark your photos?

 

http://studiokreasiclovers.blogspot.com/2013/09/hints-how-to-add-watermark-on-pictures.html


Uses Photoscape

 

Ask either @blu62vette or @messydesk

 

If you take a picture of your medal, you have a copyright on that picture at the moment you create the picture, and may use it however you want. Technically a copyright notice isn't needed, but isn't a bad idea to have with it. You may license it to others to use under whatever terms you want to put in the license.

When you use a public forum and post to it, you are agreeing to the terms of use of that forum. That might include granting rights to the owners of the forum, but not other users of the forum, to use things you post, including your photos, as they see fit without further compensation. Check these terms before posting.

A watermark isn't necessary for copyright enforcement. It just makes it difficult for someone else to use your picture.