This just arrived from CNG: L. Rubrius Dossenus. 87 BC. 17.5 mm. 3.90 grams. Head of Jupiter right, head of scepter over shoulder, DOSSEN Empty quadriga triumphal right, thunderbolt on side panel, small victory above bearing wreath, L RVBRI in exergue Crawford 348/1. Sear I 258 "The types of this moneyer appear to express hopes of victory against Marius and his faction." ex Andrew McCabe collection I took the photo with my very old iPad laid flat on a tissue box and the coin on a gray card below it. I like that I can see exactly how the photo will come out and how it will look on a screen when it is large. Everyone who takes good coin photos says lighting is important, and I like being able to move the angle and play with the light until the photo looks, on the iPad screen, pretty good and a lot like the coin itself. I know many members take better photos than I do, but beginners should realize it need not be a big additional investment to take good, if not great, coin photos. Prop your phone or tablet on something stable and level and try various light angles and types (sunlight, north light, LED daylight bulb(s), whatever). Here is the CNG photo: One of the hard things to capture in an image is any metallic sheen the coin may have. I think the last two coins I got from CNG are significantly better in hand than in their photos because their photos, while good and honest, make the metal less attractive than it is in hand. (The other one I posted here: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/sale-photos-compared-to-coins-in-hand.352389/#post-3963886 ) The latest post in that coin-photo thread was last December. Does anyone have other comments about coins compared to sellers' photos?
..i don't sell coins per say, but i believe this lil trick here makes for more happy customers...allbeit that a exact representation photo is really better for all concerned i reckon..nice one Warren!..this is one of my favorite coins bar none and became an obsession(ranks right behind Otho) with me till i got one! L Rubrius Doessenus triumphal quadriga 87BC 18mm 3.40gms
A very nice coin. @Valentinian wrote: “I took the photo with my very old iPad laid flat on a tissue box and the coin on a gray card below it. I like that I can see exactly how the photo will come out and how it will look on a screen when it is large. Everyone who takes good coin photos says lighting is important, and I like being able to move the angle and play with the light until the photo looks, on the iPad screen, pretty good and a lot like the coin itself. I know many members take better photos than I do, but beginners should realize it need not be a big additional investment to take good, if not great, coin photos. Prop your phone or tablet on something stable and level and try various light angles and types (sunlight, north light, LED daylight bulb(s), whatever).” I have employed just about the same methodology (using my iPad) for the past several months now. I move my set-up from room to room in our house until I find the best lighting location. Example photo: I took my earlier coin photos using an inexpensive SLR camera mounted on a photo copy stand and employing the same “best room location for lighting” principle. James
I don't care if you are using a cheap camera or a tablet. A better photo can be made by either well used than by a $5000 camera abused. The feature of showing on the screen what yiu will see in the photo is wonderful. I bought my first 35mm camera in 1964. I would have given anything to be able to see the results before the picture was developed and printed but then we dared not to dream of today's wonders.
Actually the quote about lighting etc. was Warren’s, but no matter I do subscribe to that principle wholeheartedly. I would like to add that I lay my iPad on a little more substantial platform than does Warren - Volume I of BMCRE: I really do that as homage to Harold Mattingly, and it makes me feel good to put that treasure to another use than just reading it. (the foregoing is my lame attempt at being humerous). I want to add one more thing: early on I was influenced by @dougsmit to use a black background for my coin photographs - a decision I have never regretted - so I used one of those “photo background changer Apps” to make the change. That is the only photo editing I did, for I also adhere to @dougsmit ’s philosophy of picturing coins in the most natural way - blemishes and all!
great info - thanks. what do you all think of Harlan Berk's little video for each coin. Is that the future of recording and documenting ancients?
Coin has really great surfaces and whats special about is the full Victory being present which is usually worn or off flan. Your photo certainly improves on the sale pic but that's pretty usual given the vendor processes hundreds of pics at once for any given esale.
Here is mine. L. Rubrius Dossenus 87 B.C. O: DOSSEN Head of Jupiter right, scepter over shoulder, DOSSEN behind and below R: L ·RVBRI Triumphal quadriga right, thunderbolt on side-panel, small Victory on top holding wreath, L ·RVBRI in ex. Crawford 348/1 RSC Rubria 1 SRCV 258 3.62g Ex. Harlan J. Berk.
A thousand times yes. Photos do not always do a coin justice, for better or for worse. I hope all sellers will begin to include videos for their offerings, especially for events like CNG Feature or Triton auctions. IMO, HJB videos are the perfect length and display the coins in just the right way.
