Here are 2 Lincolns I now have. Which coin do you think is the best? Despite the pictures, both coins are just about exactly the same color. For some reason I have trouble getting the color right on NGC slabs. If anyone has an idea why, please tell me. btw: They are both graded MS67.
The top one looks better to me because on the bottom the mark on his shoulder below the "Y" is much more distracting than any of the marks on the top one. Maybe the plastic in NGC slabs diffuses the light reaching the coin differently from slab to slab.
I too prefer the top one, but I wonder how much of that is due to the obviously more natural looking color. The white slab inserts in NGC slabs play havoc with the white balance on cameras. Any slight variation in angle from one photo to the next can yield wildly different results as you showed us.
Top one also, for same reasons stated, and that just gave me an idea to experiment with background colors. When using black, my Lincolns look orange as evidenced in my " grade my 08-S Indian " thread, a totally cjocolate brown coin, even the BLACK background looked " funny". GDJMSP suggested messin with the white balance and it improved, but, now I use the white and it seems ok, but I only photographed circ's so far. I'll mess around. Nice pics Rlm, I'm going to take your advise on that camera and look at it. What I really need is a better macro for Rpm's, mine just don't get it. How about a close up? THANKS !!
Translucent slabs like PCGS (and ICG?) photograph well. White opaque slabs like NGC and ANACS need a bit of help. The reflected light from the white insert messes with the exposure and ends up darkening the coin itself. Particularly tough on copper coins. I build a "mask" from a 2x2. Take one larger than the coin you're imaging; separate it into the two halves. Strip ALL the plastic off one of the halves so that you have a rough, raw cardboard surface. Darken the WHOLE cardboard surface black with something (magic marker, etc.) Put that on the slab so that coin shows through the hole while masking out the white insert in the slab. You want most of the light coming from the coin's surface. Take your camera shots.
I prefer the top one also, there is only one hit in the field of the first one, whereareas the second one has a few more hits. But overall, both very nice and beautiful coins. :thumb: Phoenix
RLM, The nicer of the 2 is the 1 picture. It doesn't appear to have as may scratches(Perhap's it's the plastic) as the bottom picture. The top coin is a deeper color of red depending on the light that was used to take the picture's. Regardless of the light, the coin's are a great addition to your collection. Rhubarb
Phoenix21, You can "see" some of my coins here http://www.collectors-society.com/PublicUserHome.aspx?PeopleID=40238 I say "see" because there are few pictures (at least yet) and that is not just my #1 set, but a mixture of #1 and #2 - some because its NGC and some because I have a couple coins from other grading services I consider the best.
Wow, very impressive. :thumb: Thanks for the link, you've got an awesome collection of lincolns. Very nice! :thumb: Phoenix
As I said in the first post, the colors are identical. In hand, the ICG (bottom) is the more detailed strike. The NGC coin is not a weak strike, but the die is more worn. The beard and hair over the ear have no detail Both are about equal with the nicks. (The mark on the ICG shoulder and several others are on the slab, not the coin.)
