Photography: ANACS Slab = PITA

coinpictures

I am having a dickens of a time getting what I believe to be an acceptable shot of a Victorian shilling in an ANACS slab.

The coin has subtle pastel toning, and I cannot get it to show up. I've tried direct lighting, as well as the angled glass trick. No dice.

What's the secret to accurately capturing toning in a slab?

Thanks,

-Dan

Aethelred

For slabs I have to tilt the coin a bit, but I am far from a competent photographer!

coinpictures

Even tilting the slab, I'm not happy with the result. It's better, but still not capturing the color....

Direct lighting:




Various attempts at tilting the coin and angling the lighting:

wybrit

I use these (designed the appropriate size for the coin) to cut the glare form the plastic and the white.

This method only works if the coin is reasonably flush with the white insert. Otherwise, the same old focus problem usually occurs.

These masks, as I call them, need to be stored flat or the focus will be off enough to make picture taking near impossible.

wybrit

By the way that looks to be a heckuva nice shilling.

coinpictures

The link you refer to is a dead link.

As for the shilling, ANACS gave it AU50. Seems a little harsh...

ajaan

Wybrit. How do you use the red x in your imaging?

wybrit

I think you mean my link - it's not a link. I just used that to get the picture pasted up. You should see it now.

wybrit

Wybrit. How do you use the red x in your imaging?

You know what they say about "teaching old dogs," but try right clicking and select "Show Picture" if the red X comes up.

ajaan

<< <i>You know what they say about "teaching old dogs," but try right clicking and select "Show Picture" if the red X comes up >>


Tried that. Doesn't show.

coinpictures

When I attempt to view the image I just get a page that says the following:

Collectors Universe 404 Error

The page you are trying to reach on Collectors Universe is no longer here. If you would like to go to the home page of Collectors Universe click here.

wybrit

AU50

I agree it's AU, due to hair wear. As for the "50," I can't really tell from the photos. There's a few bagmarks, but nothing I see yet to make it go down to 50. Is it a net grade?

wybrit

Tried that. Doesn't show.

OK. Found the problem (went to my daughter's computer and saw the same red X). NOW it should show...

ajaan

<< <i>OK. Found the problem >>


Liveware problem?

wybrit

I had to reload the picfile again.

coinpictures

This one is in an old NGC slab. The problem with this one is that the coin is SOOO tiny (considerably smaller than a U.S. dime) that the walls of the slab shadow the coin considerably.

wybrit

I have a devil of a time with small coins, whether in slabs or not. This is one of my best slabbed pics of a threepence, and that's not saying a whole lot...

cosmicdebris

Try tapping on the slab until you get the coin as even and as close to the surface as possible. You will have to do this for both sides of the coin before you image it.

AuldFartte

This Link is the method I use for capturing toning and lustre. It's by our very own Darkhorse (Phil Arnold) and it works very well.

Gorgeous Shilling