AI experiment: digital slab prong removal

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by lordmarcovan, Aug 19, 2026 at 5:14 AM.

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Which image do you think looks better?

  1. Original dealer image (500x500)

    6 vote(s)
    100.0%
  2. Google Gemini image (1024x1024)

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  1. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic numismatist Moderator

    So I thought I'd try my little Google Gemini AI buddy and see what it could do about removing the pesky white NGC prongs from the image of this Peace dollar.

    I think it did a mostly good job overall. Interestingly, the source image was only 500x500 but the AI bot gave me a 1024x1024 result. That would certainly help if I was going to use this image, as my personal standard for my collection is 800x800.

    I was worried about upsizing the 500x500 original and losing detail. The AI output does seem to have been pretty faithful to the original, reproducing every little mark on the coin.

    My major complaint is that it washed out the light gold toning. This is not yet a coin I own, nor is it in hand, so I can't really judge which image is closer to reality. I was just playing around.

    Before:
    original dealer image, 500x500
    imageedit_8_8647254447.png


    After: Google Gemini, 1024x1024
    imageedit_3_2553917242.png
     
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  3. Chris B

    Chris B Supporter! Supporter

    I know you are anti-prong in your images but I don't find them nearly as offensive. I picked the first one because I believe it will more truly match what the coin looks like when it arrives.
     
    Spark1951 likes this.
  4. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic numismatist Moderator

    Probably right. I couldn't use the AI image because the color is so obviously inaccurate. But had it reproduced the color of the toning accurately, I'd have been tempted to use it.

    Again, not that I necessarily own this coin yet. Just tinkering. The AI removed the prongs so tidily and quickly that I will probably play with it some more to produce prong-free pictures. At least as long as it doesn't mess up the color or the tiny details on the coin.
     
  5. Chris B

    Chris B Supporter! Supporter

    Did AI add the reeded edge? I see that it is not visible in the first image.

    It is pretty cool how clean the generated image is.
     
    lordmarcovan likes this.
  6. The Meat man

    The Meat man Supporter! Supporter

    Have to say, while getting the prongs removed is a nice concept, I wouldn't trust AI not to make further, unasked-for alterations, which it seems it did in this case. So I prefer the dealer photo as the unaltered original. Plus it shows the coin's luster so much better.
     
    lordmarcovan and Spark1951 like this.
  7. physics-fan3.14

    physics-fan3.14 You got any more of them.... prooflikes?

    As AI is designed to do, it drew from a large sample of Peace dollar photos to create yours. There is quite a bit of activity on the cheek and left obverse field that I don't see on the original. I think it probably pulled from similar coins to upscale your picture - which is part of the reason the color changed.
     
    lordmarcovan likes this.
  8. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic numismatist Moderator

    Yeah, so probably not something to start using, then. Was just an experiment, as I mentioned. There are more surgical ways of digitally excising those prongs. Which really aren’t so bad in this particular example. On large coins they tend to be less intrusive. But I’ve seen them half-swallow a gold dollar.

    Reckon I’ll just live with ‘em. IF the coin even becomes mine (gotta go check now…)
     
    Randy Abercrombie likes this.
  9. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic numismatist Moderator

    Yes. This.
     
  10. ToughCOINS

    ToughCOINS Dealer Member Moderator

    Although the lighting angle makes the coin look so different, the AI result actually looks quite accurate to me, with a singular exception.

    Artie smoothed the rim between E & R in LIBERTY.
     
  11. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic numismatist Moderator

    Oh yes, I see that now.
     
  12. ddddd

    ddddd Member

    I think it was a solid result. It's not perfect, but many of the hits/marks are still in the same spots (although there are some extras added and some taken away). Also, I am not convinced that the original actually has gold toning; I believe that might just be a reflection or artifact of the photography style.
     
    lordmarcovan likes this.
  13. mark_h

    mark_h Somewhere over the rainbow

    Well I voted for dealer image which shows the luster. And I like the strike on that coin - hope you get it.

    I went and tried it with my 1820 satiny brown MS64 coin. It actually made the die cracks not as thick as the are and it made it look like a nice RB coin. Even the PCGS true view pictures suck.
     
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2026 at 10:12 PM
    lordmarcovan likes this.

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