The Lighting Setup No One Expects to Work on Ancient Coins

Thessaly, Larissa Silver Stater (356–342 BC)

I wanted to share a recent image and a few behind-the-scenes shots showing how it was made. The coin is a silver stater from Larissa, Thessaly (356–342 BC) — a municipal issue with a remarkably high-contrast surface. The reverse features a bridled horse advancing to the right, with its foreleg raised.



What made this one challenging was the extreme tonal range: bright, untoned metal next to deep fields of oxidation. Even well diffused lighting immediately blew out the highlights and crushed the midtones.

Instead of fighting it, I reversed my approach. I turned the coin away from the light, and the main illumination came from white and silver reflectors angled in front. This let me “wrap” the light around the relief softly, maintaining texture and definition without washing out the contrast. It took some tweaking, but I think the result was worth the effort.

In the setup images below, you’ll see:

• The coin is facing away from the light.
  
  
• A set of curved white card reflectors on the left and right, and a matt silver card directs the light onto the face to control the balance.
  
  
• The coin was mounted at an angle because that's the view I wanted, but also so that the reflections could be fine-tuned.
  

Below, the main light, on the left, is large and diffused with minimum contrast.


I shot it at f14, @ 1/200 sec., ISO 200. I used a 105 mm macro lens to shoot a 12-image focus stack. The result preserved the metallic sheen and surface depth while taming the contrast that would otherwise dominate the image. Click on the finished version to see the details.

Indirect lighting, like this, takes a little more time to set up, but it yields far more pleasing results — especially on coins with uneven reflectivity or complex patinas. The reflectors do the heavy lifting, not the light source itself.

Getting the light right is half science, half instinct — and every coin teaches something new. For anyone who photographs coins regularly — especially ancient pieces with uneven toning — indirect lighting like this can be a big help.

I’ll be posting more behind-the-scenes examples from the studio as I work through different surfaces, metals, and problem coins.

If you enjoy seeing the process behind numismatic photography — the setups, the experiments, and the occasional surprises — feel free to share your own experiences lighting tough coins. I always appreciate seeing how others tackle the same challenges from different angles.

 

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That is a breathtaking coin and image. Your setup is incredible. I was almost proud of myself when I found the Pro button on my smart phone camera. Great work and thanks for posting.

 

Very creative solution to a lighting problem! Wonderful result.

 

Thank you. BTW, I don't think my smartphone has a pro button... It has a terrible camera.

 

Fascinatingly creative! An what a crisp and impeccable image of the specimen! The contrast and detail of the both the surfaces and large portion of the edge is stunning. All that, combined with the light draped so perfectly, makes it feel like I can lift up the coin from my computer screen. Thanks for sharing!

 

Intricately marvelous technique. Fabulous photog........