Home› Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum

The Importance of Visual Card Presentation Online

mouschimouschi Posts: 689 ✭✭✭✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum

Have you ever had a card that looks ugly on the computer, yet when you see them in hand, they look incredible?  I've had it both ways, but nothing as eye popping as these:  The 1998 E-X Essential Credentials parallels.  Tidel144 posted online that baseballcardpedia.com had been updated, most notably (to me) the E-X set.  They are doing the Lord's work over there, and I gotta give them props!

When I first got in the FUTURE Canseco parallel #/61, I was surprised by its beauty and was mesmerized by it, so I placed it at the top of my list to try to get it back into my collection after I sold.  I personally had NEVER seen either card for sale previously.  Because the only scans I saw online of the NOW /40 version, I didn't have much of an urgency to add it.  Here is a scan of both together .... (FUTURE on the left and NOW on the right.)

image

Then I saw a Ripken NOW, and loved how it looked.  Plus, holy crap - look at the end price!

image

I was finally able to track down the NOW Canseco, and in doing so, was happy to finally be able to take proper pictures of them together:

image

I don't know if I've ever seen as big of a visual discrepancy between scan and picture as I have with these. All I know is that if I didn't see anything other than scans of these cards online before, I may not have been interested in picking them up! What about you? Have you ever experienced something like this before?

Tanner Jones, Author of Confessions of a Baseball Card Addict - Now Available on Amazon!

Comments

  • krisd3279krisd3279 Posts: 808 ✭✭✭✭

    Yeah. That's a pretty big difference in appearance.

    I think it's hard to get a good picture of a card in general which is why a lot of people use a scanner. The lighting is hard to get right and it's difficult to get a picture that looks like the real thing. The scanner eliminates a lot of the lighting problems. On these shiny/foil/reflective type cards it's even more difficult to get any kind of consistency with an actual camera. A slight change in lighting or angle completely changes the colors you get.

    It looks like you have these arranged just right to get a nice shot!

    Kris

    My 1971 Topps adventure - Davis Men in Black

  • mouschimouschi Posts: 689 ✭✭✭✭

    @krisd3279 said:
    Yeah. That's a pretty big difference in appearance.

    I think it's hard to get a good picture of a card in general which is why a lot of people use a scanner. The lighting is hard to get right and it's difficult to get a picture that looks like the real thing. The scanner eliminates a lot of the lighting problems. On these shiny/foil/reflective type cards it's even more difficult to get any kind of consistency with an actual camera. A slight change in lighting or angle completely changes the colors you get.

    It looks like you have these arranged just right to get a nice shot!

    Oh yeah, for sure! Heck, I even used a light pad and tried to find the perfect spot for them. That is half the battle with these. With the colored holographic foil AND the color tinted acetate, no scanner could really do them justice!

    @Stone193 said:
    Hiya Tanner

    Have had the same experience.

    Take myself. On the 18th, I turn 72 and I'll have to say.

    I neither look good in hand or on the computer.

    LOL! Might I be the first to say ... HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I hope your day is filled with all kinds of cardboard goodness :)

    Tanner Jones, Author of Confessions of a Baseball Card Addict - Now Available on Amazon!
  • krisd3279krisd3279 Posts: 808 ✭✭✭✭

    @Stone193 Happy Birthday! Mine is in a few weeks. I told my wife I'm going to start counting backwards so that means I will turn 38.

    Kris

    My 1971 Topps adventure - Davis Men in Black

  • magicpapamagicpapa Posts: 634 ✭✭✭✭

    Purty Cards

  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,307 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Happy birthday to ya mike! I hope you have a great day!!

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,414 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Thanx guys!

    Mike
  • robert67robert67 Posts: 1,342 ✭✭✭✭
    edited June 5, 2019 9:54AM

    .

  • NGS428NGS428 Posts: 2,330 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 17, 2019 3:28PM

    @Stone193 said:
    Thanx guys!

    Happy belated birthday Mike!

    Edit: happy birthday tomorrow!!

    Nic

    Guides Authored - Graded Card Scanning Guide PDF | History of the PSA Label PDF

  • mexpo75mexpo75 Posts: 1,931 ✭✭✭✭

    Mike, Even though I have never met you I feel I know you from seeing you on here. Hopefully one day I will get the pleasure of saying hi in person. Happy Birthday buddy!

    PackManInNC
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,414 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Nic, Mike, Robert - thanx for the kind words! Actually - my birthday isn't till tomorrow the 18th.

    Ya know?

    I wrote something about my experience as a collector.

    I hit the 30 continuous year of collecting in 2019 and 15 here - I guess that makes me a 30/15 guy?

    I've given a lot of thought to the "process" of collecting and the joys and "perils" of social media - I'm kind of afraid to present it since these kinds of things aren't that popular - I believe Tanner can back me up on that?

    Well - anyway - down the road - maybe I'll get the courage to post?

    Mike
  • mouschimouschi Posts: 689 ✭✭✭✭

    @Stone193 said:
    Nic, Mike, Robert - thanx for the kind words! Actually - my birthday isn't till tomorrow the 18th.

    Ya know?

    I wrote something about my experience as a collector.

    I hit the 30 continuous year of collecting in 2019 and 15 here - I guess that makes me a 30/15 guy?

    I've given a lot of thought to the "process" of collecting and the joys and "perils" of social media - I'm kind of afraid to present it since these kinds of things aren't that popular - I believe Tanner can back me up on that?

    Well - anyway - down the road - maybe I'll get the courage to post?

    From now on you shall be known as Mr. 30/15! :) I've gotten a lot more positive feedback than negative when I wrote...it would be good to read your thoughts!

    Tanner Jones, Author of Confessions of a Baseball Card Addict - Now Available on Amazon!
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,414 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Thanx Tanner.

    Ya know?

    What I wrote would not invoke the ire of anyone. It's more than I feel bad when I post something and hear crickets.

    I'll put it out there soon.

    Mike
  • burghmanburghman Posts: 978 ✭✭✭✭
    edited February 17, 2019 4:21PM

    I’m kinda floored by this - @Stone193 is gonna be 72? I thought I saw a picture of you in one of The National threads and thought you were my age (mid-40s).

    ETA - oops, that was @cpamike (and apologies to him if my age estimate was way off). Sorry for the confusion guys!

    Jim

  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,414 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @burghman said:
    I’m kinda floored by this - @Stone193 is gonna be 72? I thought I saw a picture of you in one of The National threads and thought you were my age (mid-40s).

    ETA - oops, that was @cpamike (and apologies to him if my age estimate was way off). Sorry for the confusion guys!

    Mike's older than you might think Jim.

    He's got that boyish look - all his hair - all his teeth and then some - and is fit to boot!

    Mike
  • DarinDarin Posts: 7,175 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I've never even heard of those cards before, the colors do look amazing. Thanks for posting them,
    learn something new every day.

Sign In or Register to comment.