This Question may have been asked here before, but I must ak it again. Can anyone tell me if a site exists where one could go to download stock photos of coins? I see many auction listings where the photos of coins state that they're stock photos. I'm in the process of preparing some items for auction and would be interested in using these types of photos, since my digital camera needs to be replaced and scans don't often clearly show the coin. Any help or advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Willcoins
will, I think your best bet is just to Google in the coin type and year under "images". You will be amazed.For example,I typed in 1878 Morgan Dollar and this was the result. http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&lr=&q=1878 morgan dollar&btnG=Search&sa=N&tab=wi
I'm not so certain about using stock photos of coins you are selling. I never like that, and while you may just want to show what the coin looks like, I'm sure many don't appreciate the use of stock photos. Google (linked above) will provide you with photos that you can view, not stock photos that you can use. You *may* be able to use them, if you ask the owner. Contrary to popular belief, photos on the Internet may not be used for any purpose just because they are there.
When you state in your auction that you are using "stock photos" you ensure that most serious collectors will go on to the next listing, since they aren't willing to accept your claim that the one you are selling is equal in grade and quality to the one you are showing. On the other hand, when you don't mention that you are using stock photos, implying that you have pictured the coin you are selling, you're sure to pick up negative feedback when the buyer discovers that he didn't buy the coin he looked at. Don't ever forget that experienced collectors are looking at the details of the surfaces, legends and devices, as well as the type of tarnish - "toning" - and its extent; and they will know they looked at coin A and got coin B.
If you are honest enough to say "stock photos" I will not bid on your auction. If you aren't honest and don't tell me that you use stock photos and I don't get the coin or coins in the photo, they will be returned. There is no coin I want to buy that is so generic that I don't need to see it before I spend my money on it. Most of us that regularly buy and sell on eBay understand that a scan doesn't show luster well, but we will bid on a scan. Use the scanner and mention it in the auction. By the way...welcome!!!
Photos Cont. Thanks for all of the replys. I've never used stock photos before. I've always used the scanner or camera and always include an honest discription of the items. But it has been awhile since I've put anything up for auction. Recently while on Ebay looking at listings etc., I noticed a lot of listings using these photos and thought it might be acceptable. Seems that some of them are pretty big sellers and some are from Dealers. By the way I am not, just a collector thinking of liquidating a few items. Thanks again for the info. Willcoins
