CNG has now added single shot photos of coins on a matte grey background for their Triton XXIV auction in addition to the combined photos on a white background . Attached below is one of my coins, lot 928, that will appear in the auction. This idea has been used by Roma Numismatics for a long time. Quoting CNG, "Each image displays the coin on a matte grey background, emphasizing the toning on the coins and more closely emulating how they will appear in hand."
That looks like the same image, just on a different background. Roma does this too - it helps a bit but I'd personally have rather seen another photo in different lighting.
I was about to say the same. I was quite impressed when I got their newsletter saying that they had an additional photo for each and every coin. But it's simply the same image with a different background. Roma, Leu and others that do this, actually take another photo on a different background or with different lighting.
If this is the same photo only on a different background, they have created a great illusion by leaving the shadow effect at the bottom of the coin .
The book is quite impressive and the calendar is a nice touch. Some decent marketing bucks. Your coin is very nice.
For me, the photo on the gray background gives me a better feel for the edge of the coin. It also makes the cataloger's job of cropping the picture to the white background easier, because the uncropped picture will cover for any sloppiness during cropping. As a result, cataloging becomes faster.
Coin videos are really catching on among the major auction houses . They give you a better look at a coins surface, luster, toning, & thickness than the standard photo. I believe Heritage charges $100 a pop for a video, which seems kind of pricey.
My budget is not compatible with the Triton auction but I do think the darker background helps the edges of the coin stand out. I always use dark backgrounds when posting my own coins.
I am disappointed that they did not use different lighting and really do not see where their gray image helps with tone. I am a fan of trying different lighting for different effects. Below are a couple coins shown in three different light arrangements. Which looks most like the coin? Trick question. How a coin looks 'in hand' depends entirely on where that 'hand' is located. No dealer can be expected to match the light characteristics of your any particular part of your home but each light shows something just a bit different. I certainly would not expect a dealer to show coins in light that made them look 'bad' but I do wish dealers ha enough time to experiment on things like this a bit more. Of course my coins are not of a level they would expend any effort to show. Better coins can be easier to photograph (but not always). Look particularly at the difference in how you see the rough patch on Septimius' neck. The left image would insure the coin went unsold and that would not be a good thing.
I wish more houses would adopt adding videos. I found it very helpful in the last Kunker sale. I think CNG did videos once, I wonder why they stopped.
Photographing coins & how collectors examine coins varies a great deal. I like to photograph & examine coins in natural diffused sunlight, & where I live that is not always possible because of rapid changes in the weather. On the other hand, I know many collectors who use artificial lighting exclusively. Many of us have been duped into buying coins that have been edited to enhance their appearance, & when the coin arrives in the mail we are dumbfounded . An important factor in dealing with specific dealers & auction houses is consistency. When we see their photos we can have a pretty good idea what to expect as long as they are consistent.
I totally agree & think videos will be used more frequently in the future . The hang-up with videos is they are more time consuming, adding to longer turn-around times; & we all know time is money .
