COIN PICTURES for the Franklin/Kennedy Guide by Rick Tomaska
ultimatecameo
Posts: 244
Hello Franklin and Kennedy lovers
Most of the text for the book is completed, so....
Now is a good time to address this issue - PICTURES
ANYONE WHO BELIEVES THEY HAVE A COOL FRANKLIN OR KENNEDY FOR THE BOOK, JUST EMAIL ME (rt@ricoins.com) AND SHIP THE COIN TO THE ADDRESS BELOW!
1. We need to do our own photography, and cannot use photos you provide, so we need the coin.
2. I will cover the return postage.
3. I cannot guarantee your coin will be in the book.
4. However, I will be working to get a special chapter included in the book that would be devoted solely to color coins. Because of the associated printing costs, this will not be an extensive chapter - Whitman wants to keep the cost of the book at a certain price target, but I will do the best I can regarding the inclusion of this chapter.
5. Per Whitman's instructions, there will be one Franklin and Kennedy pictured for each date. Most of these will be for highest grade examples by PCGS or NGC.
6. I do not log into the chatboard on a regular basis. So if you pose a question to me on the chatboard and I do not answer it, it is typically because I have not seen it. So if you feel you have an important question you need answered, contact me at my email address, or call me at 1-800-753-2646.
I welcome your feedback.
Rick
SHIP TO:
R & I Coins
P.O.Box 230009
Encinitas, CA 92023
ATTN: RICK
0
Comments
SEND COINS SOON...
That is all.
and they're cold.
I don't want nobody to shoot me in the foxhole."
Mary
Best Franklin Website
Do you have an estimated date for the book's availability?
Thanks
COMPLETE KENNEDY VARIETY SET, CIRCULATION STRIKES AND PROOFS
1964 MINT SET
I have emailed you several times regarding photos of my 1961 DDR Franklin - no response from anyone at R&I.
I am still willing to loan the coin (and any others from my proof Registry set) if you need them.
PM me if interested.
Cameonut
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
My digital cameo album 1950-64 Cameos - take a look!
BST Transactions: DonnyJf, MrOrganic, Justanothercoinaddict, Fivecents, Slq, Jdimmick,
Robb, Tee135, Ibzman350, Mercfan, Outhaul, Erickso1, Cugamongacoins, Indiananationals, Wayne Herndon
Negative BST Transactions:
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
My digital cameo album 1950-64 Cameos - take a look!
Cameonut -
Email me the list again. I have since hired an individual to help organize material as it arrives, and we are at the stage in the project where we are addressing the pictures.
RT
I am sure Brandon is a fine photographer - but the saturated ,cartoonish images that I have seen representing R & I coins in the past
would not be my choice for a book .
I am not bashing anyone here ........I'm just stating a fact that I'm sure others would support .
As always Pawpaul, your constructive, thoughtful, statesmanlike commentary is always welcome!
RT
P.S. -
My goal with the pictures for the book is simply to recreate the look of the coin as the human eye sees it, under ideal lighting conditions, as best possible.
Will it satisfy everyone? Doubtful. But the pictures will be better, more accurate or at least as accurate, in my opinion, than almost anything I have seen in other numismatics books with color.
Also - most important - there is a final editing with Whitman. I spoke with Rick Snow regarding his Flying Eagle cent book, and Whitman apparently took some liberties when it came to "adjusting" the pictues he sent them. So this is something I will have to deal with.
RT
who could ask for anything more then that !
I'm sure Rick and Whitman will work together to get the best results possible.
RWB -
How true!
1. It is relatively easy getting an image that looks accurate on the computer screen, compared to getting that same image on the printed page. It often does not translate well from computer to printer - especially for color coins.
2. The cameo proofs present their own problems as well. It is actually much easier photographing proof type coins from the early 1900's and before, than cameo Franklin and early Kennedy half dollars. The early proofs had relatively flat mirrors. Franklin halves and Kennedy halves on the other hand have some curvature to their mirrored fields. As a result, unwanted reflections, etc. are a constant problem photographing these coins. The first book I did, "Cameo And Brilliant Proof Coinage of the 1950 to 1970 Era", frequently required shooting some coins 10 times over and more. That was before computers. Fortunately, the computer now allows us to instantly see our results, good or bad. With that first book, we'd shoot, wait to get the film developed, etc. And then of course, one group of film would be developed with slightly different tints from another. If you notice in that book, some coins might have a slightly reddish tint, others slightly blue.....we used the same settings, lighting.....the development was a variable beyond our control.
Thank you for your feedback.
RT
has this dream gone by the wayside ?
pawpaul
The dream of a chapter on color coins is alive and well.
My biggest concern is the printer. Whitman may use a printer outside the country (China). Transferring the image we give them to the printed page, with minimal distortion, is our goal, but after talking with other authors of numismatic books who have gone through this process, it is a challenge.
RT
Last year, a friend gave me a gorgeous, blast-white 1950 Franklin as a Birthday gift.. I'm 99% sure it's FBL.. I'm gonna send it in to PCGS as my free "any coin with a bird on it" quarterly submission this week.. sometimes I can grade spot-on, sometimes I can't.. I find Franklins tricky, but your 1997 (?) book on Franklins was invaluable to me.. grabbed a used copy of the book off eBay for chump change many years ago.. so I plowed through it and read every word you wrote about the 1950 (P).. especially the part you wrote about how there were no US Mint Sets in 1950, so very few BUs are toned, and most are very well-struck.. it's gonna cost me about $15.00 in return Postage to get this coin into a PCGS slab, but I've had it for a year, and I'm just aching to know how it'll grade.. I might end up with a $50.00 coin or a $300.00 coin.. I wish I could put it into your hands and get your opinion.. there's a small reeding hit on Ben's cheek that concerns me the most.. without that, I think it'd make MS66 FBL.. maybe it still will?.. More likely, MS65 FBL.. unless a tiny hit on his cheeck automatically makes it MS64.. well.. it's worth $15.00 to me to find out..
I just wanted to Thank you for your expertise on these coins, and the detail you went into with your book..
Franklins hold a special place in my coin memories for me.. I don't know how old you are, but I was a young kid in the 1950s, and Franklins were pretty special to a kid back then.. since the last of the Peace $ coins were from the 1930s, and they simply didn't circulate.. I felt rich if I had a couple of those big Franklins in my pocket at any one time..
Thanks..
Harv
- John Wayne, "The Shootist" (1976.. his final film)..
Harv -
Good luck! Let me know how it comes out. The most important tool for grading Franklins is a strong Halogen light - at least 100 watts is what I would recommend. It will reveal light hairlines, rub, etc. that normal lighting will not.
Hope you get at least an MS 65 FBL grade!
Warmest regards,
RT
Twincam -
I believe the book will be available fall 2010. Whitman want to keep the price in the $20 - $25 range, softover.
If that 1964 Kennedy is yours, we would be interested to include it!
RT
10-4,
My Instagram picturesErik
My registry sets
Erik
Send the coin to me. There is a chance we will picture this coin. I think it would be good to have some end-roll toned coins as examples.
Thank you for your help.
Warmest regards,
Rick
<< <i>Harv -
Good luck! Let me know how it comes out. The most important tool for grading Franklins is a strong Halogen light - at least 100 watts is what I would recommend. It will reveal light hairlines, rub, etc. that normal lighting will not.
Hope you get at least an MS 65 FBL grade!
Warmest regards,
RT >>
Thanks, Rick..
I filled out PCGS' submission form yesterday (I don't think they could make that form any more complicated, with more boxes and options on it if they had a car dealer's F&I guy design it).. packed up old Ben with the form and a check, and he's now in the hands of the USPS, on his way to PCGS.. they'll get it tomorrow.. I could drive there and back in about two hours, but even if it was a "walk-in submission day".. the gasoline would cost me more than $15.00..
So please whip out your rabbit's foot / four-leaf clover / crucifix / Star of David / Ankh / worry beads / autographed photo of Patricia Arquette, or any other good luck talisman, charm, or chatzkie you have handy and start rubbing it to throw some good Karma in my direction..
I honestly don't know how it's gonna grade.. but I'll find out what my $15.00 and change in return Postage bought me in a week or so, when they post the grade.. my reaction to said grade will range anywhere from "aww crap.. that was a waste of $15.00".. to "Hmm.. not bad.. I was hoping for better, but I'm satisfied".. to "Holy moley! Break out the champagne!".. and I guess I'll learn whether or not I know how to grade a raw, Blast-white, well-struck Franklin..
Harv
- John Wayne, "The Shootist" (1976.. his final film)..
<< <i>I have a '61 end-roll reverse toned Franklin, do you think it has a chance to be in your book? The obverse is white. PCGS graded MS-65.
>>
- John Wayne, "The Shootist" (1976.. his final film)..
probably just an oversight, as RT clearly offered to pay postage costs in the OP.
and they're cold.
I don't want nobody to shoot me in the foxhole."
Mary
Best Franklin Website
<< <i>I have heard of at least one collector whose coins were returned by Rick after 4 months and no postage reimbursement....
probably just an oversight, as RT clearly offered to pay postage costs in the OP. >>
4 months? RT owes RENT on the coin as well!
and they're cold.
I don't want nobody to shoot me in the foxhole."
Mary
Best Franklin Website
and whats 4 months ? 16 weeks ? 120 days ............
heck , thats part of the "game"
<< <i>R.t said he would pay the return postage ..........
and whats 4 months ? 16 weeks ? 120 days ............
heck , thats part of the "game" >>
Heck, he could have flipped the coin twice by then!
<< <i>Maybe he was documenting "how toning forms". >>
U.S. Type Set
<< <i>... I'd rather he took his time and got some good images of each coin, as opposed to hurrying them and not doing each coin justice. >>
Good point Skyman!
And you are correct Paul, RT offered to pay for return postage only.
My mistake.
Hopefully, it wont be too long now, we can critique the book!
and they're cold.
I don't want nobody to shoot me in the foxhole."
Mary
Best Franklin Website
<< <i>Would/ could he use this as an example?
...............if he dosn't- i'll buy it !
Any inklings on how the book is coming along?
Also, if the coin makes it in the book, will it say something like "Courtesy of Elmer"?
10-4,
My Instagram picturesErik
My registry sets
<< <i>Hey guys, let's be realistic here. Most of us that have these sort of Franklins normally keep them in a SDB anyhow. Just as long as I get them back in good shape, I'd rather he took his time and got some good images of each coin, as opposed to hurrying them and not doing each coin justice. >>
Come on, 4 months is ridiculous. I'd be royally pissed if it were my coin.
<< <i>Would/ could he use this as an example?
While that is an attractive looking reverse, I see you posted the full obverse/reverse in the "How about a nice Frankie" thread. Given that the coin is a 1958 it is not likely that he would use the coin. 1958's can come VERY nice. I have several very attractive ones myself (it's my birthyear), and they didn't pass the cut.
U.S. Type Set
<< <i>Erik
Send the coin to me. There is a chance we will picture this coin. I think it would be good to have some end-roll toned coins as examples.
Thank you for your help.
Warmest regards,
Rick >>
Would this one fit the bill? Nicely EOR toning 1963-d pcgs ms64FBL
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