Here is a thread with 3 coins (nickels) I want to ask about. I found all of them in a box, and have some questions about them. So if you have answers for any of these, just post #1;...(answer) Or #2;...(answer) Or whatever number is in front of the coin in question. I figured it would be better to do half in one thread and half in another. There will be 3 coins in total in this thread. 3 in another. (Unless I figure a coin out that is) Thanks. First coin; (#1) I'm thinking it might be a damaged planchet... Not sure though. Might just be damage. But it is odd. Second coin; (#2) Thinking die clash or something on the reverse under pluribus? Maybe a bubble or something? Also, what is all that excess metal under the Monticello building? Third coin; (#3) Does this count as a cud? Or does it have to go past the rim? Again, thanks for all the help. I really appreciate it.
#1 pictures not good enough to make a determination. #2 pictures not good enough to make a determination. #3 minor rim cud. I checked cuds on coins website, it's not listed, most of them in the 1970s are Ds though and very few submitters, so likely it's just the "hunting range" of those couple people as to why it hasn't shown up there, they really aren't checking Ps.
#1 possible strike through #2 I can see it but not clear enough to make a determination #3 That's a small rim cud. A keeper.
I don't have a better camera. I can't take better pictures. I need something made for coins, like a scope that can connect and be viewed on a laptop or something. Is there anything like that? Because I have tried an actual expensive camera, and it can't take close ups if coins very good.
It's mainly technique. Here's a setup I use that might be helpful or give you thoughts on tweaking the photography. #2 is the most interesting...but as noted, your photo is just outside of being super useful. More on that coin would be appreciated as it's the best in this lot...potentially.
I use a magnifier app called flash to torch, which works ok for a single picture, then it has trouble focusing until you back out and start over for another picture, but as frustrating as it is, it serves the purpose quite well. I bought a little $5 cellphone tripod also, because I didn't like the balancing act I was trying to pull off any other way. also some of it can be the camera focusing on the wrong thing, so like a non-textured background, like a solid color like Kevin Mader shows is a good idea and sometime resting the coin on a soda bottle cap to move it into the foreground helps to get it to focus on the coin instead of a glare, or a texture or something else, for instance, if I have my finger in a shot 100% it's focusing on my fingerprint texture instead of the coin. first two pictures of coin #3 are fine, I didn't need the close up to see it was a rim cud even, but the closeup seems to be trying to focus on the glare off jeffersons forehead. Plus I can click on #3 Jefferson obverse and it blows up really nicely to boot!
Yes...the soda bottle cap is a good idea especially if you are looking for an incremental reduction to the focal length between the coin and the camera. Objects of various thicknesses help dial in the focus and the small 2" post-its create the flat backing so the camera doesn't focus in on some line/letter on a page or the texture of the table. I have to laugh...I have taken great pictures of my fingerprints too!!
