Imaging on Scanner

RKKay

Stupid question, but do you just throw the coin on? After the scan, do you need to play with the picture? If so, what are good editing programs?

airplanenut

It depends on the coin... if it is a basic scan, then yes, just throw it on... to pick up color or luster, you may have to play with it... especially in a slab, you may have to prop up the slab on a pen or pencil to get the best scan.

I use Adobe Home Edition, which came with my scanner, for my editing... sometimes a coin can take a LOT of rescanning to get right... case in point is below... scanned about 20-30 times to get the color... scanned while in a slab:



I love that coin... and like showing it off

Jeremy

RKKay

That's an awesome scan. Most of my coins are slabbed.

Barry

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. If I do edit it, it's to get the color to look just like the coin, not for any deceptive reasons, like fixing blemishes :.) Sometimes I'll lighten dark coppers, to bring out details, and say so in my auction listing.

Best software, by far, is Adobe Photoshop (very pricey too!). There is a "light" version called Photoshop Elements 2.0, which is what I am using. Amazon.com had a deal with rebates before the holidays for about $35. I haven't checked to see if they've extended it, but they often do. It's truly amazing software and will do more than you can imagine. However, there is a learning curve. You won't just be able to load it on your 'puter and be an imaging expert without reading a third party book about it.

crito

I get a "flatter" image towards the center of the bed and more depth out near the edges. When scanning proofs, reflections in the fields can look like haze, so prefer flatter. But for business strikes, a little depth to the devices is nice.

airplanenut

I don't remember exactly how I scanned this... I just kept moving the pen ever so slightly until it was right... then about 40 more scans for the reverse It was hard to bring out the rim toning on it. Shall I post that pic, too?

Dog97

Each & every coin scans different then the other one. It takes me about 5 scans before I get 1 pict that I like.

Proof & DMPL seem to scan better laying flat.

Most everything else scans better if you prop the top of the slab on a pencil. If it's a raw coin just prop the 2X2 or flip on the pencil. I use a slab shell because the flip or 2x2 sometimes makes glare or weird rainbow reflections from the acetate.
Toned coins are a different story if you want to catch the color. Most of the time the pencil trick works but sometimes you have to prop the side or the bottom up. Sometimes you have to turn it sideways on the scan bed THEN prop the left right or whatever up. By the time you turn it left right up down & prop it left right up down you've made about 20 different scans.

Usually I don't need software, I save it straight from the scanner and can open it with internet explorer, ms paint, ms picture it, but usually use image expert (because that is what comes free on dell computers) to crop out the extra junk.

For example, got a beautiful Morgan with dark wyatt raymond tone you want to make a picture of?
Just throw it flat on the scanner and you get this dog turd planchet looking pict:



Prop the top of the slab on a pencil and hey it's got some colors.



Turn the slab sideways and prop the left side on a pencil and this almost looks like real life.
Ask Rotated Rainbows, he know what this coin looks like.

airplanenut

I like the dog turd one