Sort of a follow up on my post from last week on using a CAD system for coin attribution. If you think it has merit as an attribution tool. And maybe working as a group here at CoinTalk – developing a universal process, (CoinTalk standard so to speak) in its application so the information can be easily shared and accuracy improved. Just a starting point Step 1. Using a scanner - scan the entire coin using a standard scan area ( say 2 inches) with standard scanner settings. Step 2. Plot a point on the southeast corner of the (I) in the "IN GOD WE TRUST" motto. Step 3. Draw a line from the above point to the tangent of the southwest corner of the (T) in the motto of "IN GOD WE TRUST" Step 4 Create the (Y) axis with a perpendicular from the above line to the 1st tangent point on the west side of the number (1) in the coin's date. Step 5 Create the (X) axis using a parallel line of the motto to the 1st tangent point on the south side of the last numeral in the date. Step 6 Pull a parallel from the (X) axis to the 1st tangent point on the north and south sides of the mint mark. Step 7 Pull parallel lines form the (Y) axis to the 1st tangent points on west and east sides of the mint mark. Step 8 obtain the coordinate points of the line intersections of the mint mark tangents.
Your probably on to something. However, not everyone has a scanner. Many that do don't know how to use them properly. And with any form of CAD, even more have no idea of how that works nor what it is. Another problem is a lot of people do not like to add programs onto thier computers that they are not sure of and to many CAD is such a problem. Possibly what your attempting is great but for me I've had it with ACAD. It's still on my computer just waiting to be deleted. Reminds me of work.
Most people on CoinTalk know that prior to 1990 mint marks were hand punched into working dies. Therefore the location and orientation of the mint mark from working die to working die is not at a fixed location relative to the other devices of a coin’s design. In fact I am of the opinion that the probability of two working dies from the same year having mint marks punched at identical locations in identical orientation relative to the rest of the design (which are hubbed into the working die from a master) is very small. Using a flatbed scanner would be a means for acquiring a standard image for plotting the coordinates. The coordinates is the important information afterwards the image is disposable.
