How Much Do You Trust TrueView?

From my observations, there is an increasing number of TrueView photos being used in online coin listings. It makes sense since the photos are professionally done. With that said I don't trust TrueView 100%. In other words I won't consider purchasing a coin if only TrueView photos are provided. I always want to see another set of photos besides TrueView photos.

So I ask you all... do TrueView photos make the coin look much better than it is in hand? What is your experience or opinion?

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

TV's are glamor shots and Phil is one of the best coin photographers in the biz. I don't mind buying from them as grade goes along with them and they generally approximate the in hand look well. Sometimes they even look better in hand. You're really doing yourself a disservice not buying from them. And if you don't like it just send it back for a refund. You're really missing out

 

Who do you mean by "from them"?

I was referring to all sellers (of which there are many) who use the TrueView photos attached to their PCGS certification.

 

From true views

 

Perhaps think of it this way.... would you pop a ring on a girl's finger based only upon a dolled-up glamour shot, or would you prefer a proper true-to-life impression before even considering taking her home?

Don't get me wrong here; true views are great and certainly have a purpose, but as stand alone representations for selling purposes? No...

 

I have one coin that came with the PCGS TRU-View pictures. I took my own pictures of coin once received to compare. There is a HUGE difference. I know it is all about the lighting and equipment they use. But come on who lives in a fully lit photo studio?

Here is a comparison.

PCGS Tru-View

My Pictures of same coin in my home made studio.

 

Yes. They are glamor shots and I trust them enough to buy the coin if I like it and have the option to return it.

 

I have a couple of TruViewed coins. I think they do an excellent job of capturing the toning in its best light (no pun intended). The larger images are great for grading or variety attribution. I would definitely buy based on TV images, and I have done so in the past. I was not disappointed.

 

Not every single one will be perfect, but I trust them a lot more than a lot of seller photos.

No photo set is 100% and ignoring TrueViews for purchasing is really only hurting yourself.

 

Well I never said they should be ignored, if you are referring to me. I just think it's risky to buy a coin based solely on TV photos. I think @BooksB4Coins said it perfect: TV photos are glamour shots. Would you commit to a woman based on a glamour shot only?

 

Your words "In other words I won't consider purchasing a coin if only TrueView photos are provided." So you don't ignore them but would never purchase? That is ignoring.

Cheat your self and your customers if you tell them to avoid it if you want. More for the rest of us

 

Commit, no, but I've met up and not been disappointed.

 

I'd much rather take a gamble (if you want to call it that) on a TV only image of a coin, versus a lot of the really bad images listed on eBay.

The reference about putting a ring on a woman's finger based solely on a photo is not a fair comparison. You are not marrying the coin. It's a lot closer to internet dating based only on her photo. You can take her out on a date and if she's not for you, you end it there. The coin should be able to be returned if you don't like it in hand. I personally never buy coins from sellers who do not offer a return policy.

 

I've been disappointed with purchasing proof toned coins in the past, from TrueView photos or otherwise. Toned proofs are really a crapshoot, and often it takes proper lighting and coordination to capture the groovy colors. What's really so special about having to get out some halogen lamps just to have a coin with a moldy hazy hue glow for a few seconds?

I was going to make the point that I'd be ok with TrueView photos only so long as the coin isn't proof, then @MontCollector had to go and be a trouble maker.

Having TrueView photos of coins really aids in selling the coin, and can really make one feel like a rockstar when they're showing it off on a coin forum, but just how "true" is that view when, like @MontCollector stated, you need a lighting studio to see it?

At the end of the day though, what's the worst that could happen? Buy a coin with flashy photos, and if the in-hand effect is too far off from the photos you could always just return it.

 

My short answer is no I wouldn't trust just truview, but I wouldn't trust seller photos any sooner. I'd use either for a best estimate and go from there. Obviously seller and truview photos together *should* give me a better idea of what the coin looks like in hand.

Please note: none of my coins have truview so I don't have a personal testament of truview failing, I've just seen some truview and home-shot photos and they seemed to vary.

 

Okay guys...I just wanted to clear some things up about my post. I was not disappointed with my purchase of my Tru-View coin. In fact it is my icon on this site.

I trust Tru-View photos when looking for defects, however I don't trust they will look even close to the same toning in hand.

I did comparison shots as a learning tool for when people ask this question.

Coins will look different under different lighting conditions. As Long as you know this then Tru-View isn't a bad thing.

Like it was stated above Tru-View is a Glamour Shot for your coin. Even they need to look Glamorous once in their lives.

I am not apposed to buying coins From Tru-View Photos in the future. At least I know what grade they are and they are FAR better when looking for the small defects on the coin than most sellers own photo's . I expect it to look different in hand. If it is an expensive coin however, I WILL ask the seller to take their own close-ups of the coin before I commit to buy.

 

Ignore is not the proper term to use because if the seller provides additional photos then I consider both TV and other photos in conjunction. I think a much better term would be unreliable. You could I say I find listings with only TV photos to be unreliable. That would be accurate. But the way you said I ignore them can be interpreted as I never look at them or never consider them under any circumstances.

I have never told one of my customers to not consider listings with TV photos only. Nor would I ever insist that they should. I may tell them in conversation that I find it too unreliable for my taste, but I wouldn't insist or urge them to stay away from those listings. That's their business. You could even see in my opening post that I wasn't suggesting or insisting that anyone should stay away from TV only listings. I simply state my opinion and ask for everyone elses on the matter.

Lastly, I use TV photos in some of my listings, BUT I always supply additional photos that were taken by ME with MY camera. That way I give my potential customers a full range of photos to analyze and so that way they are NOT CHEATED.

 

From reading everyone's comments here I think the consensus is similar to how I view it in that it's about a 50/50 chance the coin looks somewhat similar in hand as it does in TrueView photos. For some folks that might not be a big enough concern to prevent them from purchasing, but it's a little too unreliable for me. The only way I could see myself purchasing a coin while only having seen TV photos is if the price is so ridiculously low that you just can't lose. That almost never happens, especially with TV photos. Normally TV photos have the price jacked up a little higher because the seller knows the photos are juiced!

 

You picked the wrong words if you didn't mean ignore but that's no big deal.

 

Phil does not juice his images. He is good enough to catch the image that shows the coin at it's best. Juiced is a completely different thing.