Coin animations and movies, the wave of the future?

WingedLiberty1957 · March 30, 2013 12:53AM

I had my 1909 Matte Proof Lincoln shot by PCGS TrueView using 6 different lighting angles. I created this GIF Animation using the 1100 x 550 sized images from that photographic experiment. I think this really gives a great and accurate representation of the in-hand look. A single image never tells the whole tale, especially with colorfully toned coins. Perhaps this type of format might be the wave of the future? I set this up with a 2 second delay between images and a 6 second delay after the final image in the loop (this is adjustable). It's set to loop 9000 times (also adjustable). The only downside is the file size, about 2.14 MB. However since it's a single discrete file, it could be easily displayed on PCGS's Cert Verification page or in the PCGS image database. I think this kind of format would totally quiet the few nay-sayers that claim TrueView photos don't look like the coin in hand. I think this is as close to an in-hand look that is possible to be captured digitally.

ModCrewman · March 30, 2013 12:59AM

Very cool. I could see something like that being a true wave of the future. The problem I'd see is automating it enough to make it cost effective.

OnlyGoldIsMoney · March 30, 2013 1:04AM

I like that method of presentation.

DorkGirl · March 30, 2013 1:24AM

ctf_error_coins · March 30, 2013 1:25AM

Great idea, way way too much work for most coins tho.

I can see this for only very high end coins ........

Constantine · March 30, 2013 1:27AM

I like it a lot.

Bubblehead · March 30, 2013 1:30AM

WingedLiberty1957 · March 30, 2013 1:41AM

Perhaps there could be a TrueView Animation option that could be bought by clients with high end colorful coins for $50 to $75. PCGS makes money, and these high end monster colorful coins can get properly represented.

LanLord · March 30, 2013 1:57AM

I may be hard to get along with, but that does nothing for me because the coin rotates between images and simply annoys me.

AnkurJ · March 30, 2013 2:01AM

Probably won't be as cost effective.
Can the gif be done with less of a time lapse between each image? I think that will be a better representation.

coinbuf · March 30, 2013 4:56AM

To each their own but I'm with LanLord as this just gives me a headache and a reason to click close.

OriginalDan · March 30, 2013 5:01AM

<< Great idea, way way too much work for most coins tho.

I can see this for only very high end coins ........ >>

The work would be in changing the lighting angles, shooting multiple shots and picking the best ones. One could automate the animation process quite easily.

ctf_error_coins · March 30, 2013 5:06AM

<< 

<< Great idea, way way too much work for most coins tho.

I can see this for only very high end coins ........ >>

The work would be in changing the lighting angles, shooting multiple shots and picking the best ones. One could automate the animation process quite easily. >>

Your first Sentence is a TON of WORK ...............

messydesk · March 30, 2013 5:32AM

Also, if you're using a series of shots, you need to be careful that all of the pictures are perfectly registered with each other so that it only looks like the light is changing. If you bump the camera or coin, you'll have to realign the images in post processing before making the animation, otherwise the coin will dance around a little.

I somewhat agree with the OP in that the wave of the future will provide us with more bandwidth and imaging technology to present more information about a coin to the viewer. This may be animated GIFs, video loops, stereograms, other stuff. I put this animation together a while back to show a stereogram without having to cross your eyes, although prolong viewing may prove to be rather irritating.

MsMorrisine · March 30, 2013 5:35AM

6x15 = not cost effective

DIMEMAN · March 30, 2013 5:46AM

Not for me. Like Lanlord it's very annoying to me.

WingedLiberty1957 · March 30, 2013 5:55AM

Love that stereogram messy desk. That's really cool looking. I see the 3d effect clearly

LanceNewmanOCC · March 30, 2013 5:58AM

.
if the images could be switched by the viewer i'd be on board. having the images switch before i am ready is not optimal.

pretty close to the equivalent of just having separate images but having them as a controllable gif (if possible) helps those with lesser computer familiarity
.

WingedLiberty1957 · March 30, 2013 6:14AM

As an alternate media source ... these sort of QuickTime Movie files (linked below) are interesting, but they should NOT be hand held like I did here (too jerky).
I need a way to hold the coin and camera steadier and move the slab in a smoother motion.
In any case, they do show the potential of animations and movies --
showing off the color, gloss, and mirrors in a way no static photo could capture.

Movie Loop

northcoin · March 30, 2013 7:20AM

This has been a fun thread. I actually got all the equipment and film together to take 3D images of all my coins but the project got derailed. Maybe someday. Of course now that everything has gone digital I would have to start over. My rolls of Kodak film for the project are probably the last surviving ones left in the world.

19Lyds · March 30, 2013 7:32AM

I don't really care for the gif and do not believe that it will be accepted.

OriginalDan · March 30, 2013 7:35AM

<< 

<< 

<< Great idea, way way too much work for most coins tho.

I can see this for only very high end coins ........ >>

The work would be in changing the lighting angles, shooting multiple shots and picking the best ones. One could automate the animation process quite easily. >>

Your first Sentence is a TON of WORK ............... >>

Agreed.

lusterlover · March 31, 2013 1:23AM

I agree it appears to be a lot of work and not cost effective, but having said that, for special MPLs and other toned coins, one or two angles do not tell the whole story. As per the OP example, that looks like 4 different coins depending on the angle. I like to concept.

Wabbit2313 · March 31, 2013 1:27AM

I would like to see it on a Prooflike rainbow Morgan, in a slab. The hardest coin for me to snap.

Wabbit2313 · March 31, 2013 1:28AM

Messydesk, that image is cool!

blu62vette · March 31, 2013 1:41AM

Neat concept, seems like most would rather see the coin turn than the light angles moved.

AuroraBorealis · March 31, 2013 1:52AM

lcoopie · March 31, 2013 2:10AM

I think a video rotating the coin might be fun to try

CoinZip · March 31, 2013 2:43AM

<< I think a video rotating the coin might be fun to try >>

Here is a "Coin Video" I made to show different lighting

Wabbit2313 · March 31, 2013 2:56AM

<< 

<< I think a video rotating the coin might be fun to try >>

Here is a "Coin Video" I made to show different lighting >>

I still think it is only useful on toners that change drastically in the light. It is neat though.

PCGSPhoto · March 31, 2013 3:37AM

I've thought about various other ways of presenting coins, be it animations, 3D, videos etc. What it comes down to is that it would be an entirely new thing to manage, distribute and store, and we're skeptical about how much demand there would actually be for it at this time.

It would also impact other aspects of my operations; for instance I photographed over 800 coins this past week, and I think if I were to do only 10 videos or animations that could eat up a large chunk of my time. It could bottle-neck everything else, make me hold on to orders a lot longer, or just cut into my totals.

Having said that, I like what the RCM did with the board coin videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nzLTAqzVsA

Moving a coin by hand looks awful in a macro video from my experiments, so it needs to be put upon something mechanized or computerized for a smooth movement like in the video above. The drawback is that it looks like it's propped upon some sort of mount, and I'm not sure how that may impact the coin. I would also need to learn entirely new lighting setups for such a thing, which is problematic for all the different kinds of coins we have.

I did do an experiment a couple of years ago that left the coin stationary, but moved the light sources around. It looked ok, but felt that having such unsecured light sources around a coin would be too much of a liability.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7USP_goPDW4

WingedLiberty1957 · March 31, 2013 3:50AM

Both of those videos are stunning PCGSPhoto. I especially like the rotating coin effect.
Imagine that $200k PR67+ 1909 vdb Matte Proof Lincoln shown in this sort of rotating coin movie loop. You could probably sell tickets.

I hear you about this causing a bottleneck though, this type of endeavor is time consuming and like someone posted should probably only be even considered on very high end coins.
In any case, who knows what sort of new technologies might come along in 10 or 20 years. Twenty years ago we never could have imagined such great digital photo coin libraries being available.

Wabbit2313 · March 31, 2013 3:57AM

I sometimes resort to the hi-tech method of holding the coin near a window, and pushing the button on auto settings!

messydesk · March 31, 2013 4:49AM

Here's an animated GIF for luster. 5 shots, moving the lights for each one. 3.7 MB file. I have to come up with a good way of automating the process, after which it seems like something I could offer those who wanted it.

It still lacks the "make it stop" capabilities of an embedded video, but one needs to start somewhere.

Zoins · March 31, 2013 5:06AM

John/messdesk, the stereogram and animated luster are amazing, especially on glossy Apple screens vs matte screens. Truly a great job.

Broadstruck · March 31, 2013 5:10AM

<<

>>

So much for being a Waking Liberty as all that movement and she hasn't taken a single step

Wabbit2313 · March 31, 2013 7:26AM

On the Walker, sunrise and sunset!

illini420 · March 31, 2013 7:57AM

On a few of my eBay listings, I've included short YouTube videos where I rotate the coin around. Seems to help out in showing how the coin will really look vs. just showing a photo or two. I especially like to use videos when a coin has some toning or has proof-like surfaces or both... here's an example and you need to change the video setting to 720p for it to come out best:

LINK

I shot the video with my cell phone... if I had a real video camera I'm sure I could get the auto-focus off and get the lighting to be a bit more consistent. But even with my cell phone video I think it still shows the coin as it looks in hand.

Wabbit2313 · March 31, 2013 8:54AM

<< On a few of my eBay listings, I've included short YouTube videos where I rotate the coin around. Seems to help out in showing how the coin will really look vs. just showing a photo or two. I especially like to use videos when a coin has some toning or has proof-like surfaces or both... here's an example and you need to change the video setting to 720p for it to come out best:

LINK

I shot the video with my cell phone... if I had a real video camera I'm sure I could get the auto-focus off and get the lighting to be a bit more consistent. But even with my cell phone video I think it still shows the coin as it looks in hand. >>

Please don't take this the wrong way, but that is the worst video I have ever seen!!!

WingedLiberty1957 · April 1, 2013 1:02AM

Messydesk, I love your "luster-shot"! That really captures a lot.

Illini, you might have been one of the first to post movies of their coins on ebay -- I just wish I could see the coin better!

Below is an attempt at a faster animation using some raw images from robec.
It was attempted (when robec shot this) not to change the rotation or skew.
This is a pretty accurate of view of what this coin looks like when you roll it around under the light

johnny9434 · April 1, 2013 5:20AM

nice job. ( not sure if i buy into it yet but nice job )

northcoin · April 1, 2013 8:20PM

<< I've thought about various other ways of presenting coins, be it animations, 3D, videos etc. What it comes down to is that it would be an entirely new thing to manage, distribute and store, and we're skeptical about how much demand there would actually be for it at this time.

>>

THANKS for commenting here! Especially intrigued with your having considered 3D in light of my prior post about intending to take 3D images myself. Did you get to the point of experimenting? Any added thoughts would be most welcome.

CaptHenway · April 2, 2013 12:40AM

<< To each their own but I'm with LanLord as this just gives me a headache and a reason to click close. >>

LanceNewmanOCC · April 24, 2021 6:38AM

wonderful gif

OLD THREAD CAPTAIN!!!

Coin animations and movies, the wave of the future?

Comments

Leave a Comment