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Ebay seller enhancing images? hmmm....

This guy has been mentioned here before but I think he had mixed reviews with some saying he was a good seller. I've come across many of his auctions before and seen what looked like nice coins. But something about them just didn't look right. Besides the obvious, most of them being raw, I thought the color was off. While the toning pattern on most looked original, the colors looke a bit too good. I've never actually bought one of his coins so I can't say for sure.

The other day I came across THIS auction. It's in an NGC slab and I thought it was worth checking out. So I did a bit of price checking with Heritage's auction history. Interestingly, I came across THIS coin that sold last September and then again HERE in October.

The ebay auction image of the slab is too tiny to tell if this is the same coin, but I am convinced that it is, based on the slab type, the description of the colors of the coin and the limited number of these NGC has slabbed in this grade.

I realize Heritage's images often don't show the true color of a coin, but the differences here are a bit too striking to be just poor pictures. It seems clear to me that Mr. Holder is doing a bit of Photoshop wizardry to make his coins look more desirable. For me, he has been over doing it to the point that I have been suspicious of his coins from the start.

Feel free to express your opinions of these coins/images and any personal experience you may have with his coins.

Comments

  • skier07skier07 Posts: 3,965 ✭✭✭✭✭
    image

    They appear to be the same coins, but why would someone sell a coin for $315 if he bought it for $300
    which doesn't include the buyers premium. That doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

    Bruce
  • ajiaajia Posts: 5,403 ✭✭✭
    RGT,

    Look at the description Heritage starts with...." Heavily toned in electric blue, green, and amethyst tones that create a cloisonne effect."

    I would say bad picture taking on Heritage's part.

    Also, coin sold for $287.50, add the 15% juice.....$330.65, luckily he doesn't live in TX or CA (like meimage), but there was shipping charges. He's selling this coin with a $315 BIN.

    I see this as very fair.
    image
  • It is indeed the same coin. The toning pattern below "america" on the obverse matches. As far as the color goes, I can't say because I don't have the coin in hand.
  • RussRuss Posts: 48,514 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I've never actually bought one of his coins so I can't say for sure. >>



    I have bought coins from him. The images were actually pretty close to the coins. Not nearly as juiced as some other sellers.

    Russ, NCNE
  • mgoodm3mgoodm3 Posts: 17,497 ✭✭✭
    Remember kids: "Heritage pics are mostly useless"

    The other colorful pics don't too enhanced.
    coinimaging.com/my photography articles Check out the new macro lens testing section
  • Same coin - Photoshop reveals the same exact toning pattern. I have no idea who is using what in this case, but this is an excellent example of the difference between a scanner and a camera - but I have no idea what is going on with particular sale. That is how I bought my Benson Barber 10c - the auctiion image I bought from was scanned and looked dark glossy brown - the coin actually looks as it does is in my icon and sig line. I knew the dealer that was offering it used a scanner and I knew what that does so I lookd for the original Goldberg catalog and there it was image

    Heritage on right, eBay on left.
    imageimage

    Best,
    Billy
  • DismeguyDismeguy Posts: 496 ✭✭✭
    Heritage scans will give a good indication of the dull, lifeless color of a coin without lighting. I've bought several wonderful proof dimes fron Heritage and other dealers that scanned dark but will explode with color once placed under properly indoor or outdoor lighting. I do not have a problem with the way the ebay seller is advertising his product. This is how a wonderfully toned coin should be seen and appreciated. His asking price is fair. Appears he wants to move the coin along.

    Remember that not all sellers on ebay are looking for a profit. Rather I would rather sell my duplicates on ebay at close to trends values than sell at wholesale to a dealer.

    Dismeguy
    Gerry Fortin's Rare American Coins Online Storefront and Liberty Seated Dime Varieties Web- Book www.SeatedDimeVarieties.com Buying and Selling all Seated Denominations....
  • wayneherndonwayneherndon Posts: 2,356 ✭✭✭
    Actually, I suspect the eBay images are much closer than the Heritage ones based on my experience with Heritage images.

    WH
  • RGTRGT Posts: 508 ✭✭
    Thanks for all the replies. I have bought several coins from Heritage so I know their images are often dull. But none of the coins I have gotten from Heritage have nearly this much difference in the look in hand vs the image.



    << <i> Not nearly as juiced as some other sellers. >>





    << <i> The other colorful pics don't too enhanced. >>



    It seems I'm not the only one who thinks the image has been tweaked a bit. So is it ok to misrepresent coins as long as you don't do it as drastically as some other ebay sellers?

    I've only sold a few coins on ebay and I do photoshope them. My goal is to make the image look like the coin in hand, not better and not worse. My camera is old and my white balance is always off.

    Well, I'll continue to consider his offerings with the understanding that they may not look quite as nice in hand due to an overzealous "saturation hand".

    BTW, I never commented on his asking price, which I have no problem with. I do believe the Heritage price realized includes the juice, so whoever actually last bought this coin from Heritage (may have been this seller, or not) paid $299 plus shipping. At $315 he would be lucky to break even after ebay fees.
  • FairlanemanFairlaneman Posts: 10,423 ✭✭✭✭✭
    This brings us to this point. Which is worse, a juiced photo or a piece of crap photo like the Heritage one shown ? I say the Heritage photo. Heck you really have no idea what you are getting at all. Cut the cards and hope for the best. image

    Ken
  • It could just be a really bad image. I post here the images of my Barber Benson 10c. The image on the left was made with a scanner - the image on the right with a digital camera lit properly - and that is what the coin looks like in hand.

    imageSame PCGS PR63 Barber 10CBensonimage

    Best,
    Billy
  • RGTRGT Posts: 508 ✭✭


    << <i>This brings us to this point. Which is worse, a juiced photo or a piece of crap photo like the Heritage one shown ? I say the Heritage photo. Heck you really have no idea what you are getting at all. Cut the cards and hope for the best. image Ken >>



    I think that depends on if you are the buyer or the seller. image I can only remember one coin that I got from Heritage that didn't look better than the image. I'd hate to be the seller of a really nice toner that Heritage made look like mud though.

    Billy,

    The images in your first post were red X's earlier. Now I see some purple seated somethings that look like they spent too much time near a nuclear reacor. I wouldn't buy based on either picture.

    That Barber looks like many coins I have seen that change drastically, depending on lighting and viewing angle. I don't think you can accurately show those type of coins with one image. They really need to be seen in hand. I sold a half cent on ebay a couple of months ago that was like that. The coin had been dipped long ago and retoned in some beautiful blue and golden colors. Looking at it straight on it was a nice even light brown but when tilted just a bit the colors started to show. I imaged the coin to show both extreems so the buyer would know what he was getting.

    Russ is the only one who has shared first hand knowledge of the seller so I will assume that Heritage had a bad picture (already a given) and the seller didn't juice the image up excessively. As for this coin, I think I'll pass, but I'll keep an open mind on any other coins he offers.

  • Hi,

    the "purple" images are inverted colorized scans of the two coins you posted - careful study shows them to be the same coin based on toning chracteristics (other than that they are obviously the same). There are specific unique toning shapes that can be observed on both with enhancement. I wasn't suggesting you buy it or not, although I bet it looks more like the eBay picture in hand.

    Billy

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