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TrueView Optical Illusions
cardinal
Posts: 2,005 ✭✭✭✭✭
PCGS TrueView photos are awesome high resolution images that let you see even the most minute feature of a coin or medal -- such as the fine differences between different die varieties.
Sometimes, though, the uniform standards of the imaging process may also make it hard to tell one die variety from another, as with the recent silver restrikes of the Libertas Americana medal. Here's a comparison of the 2004, 2014 and 2015 silver restrikes --
Having purchased these separately when they were available, I know which one is which -- but how can you tell just from the comparisons of the photos?? I think I've come up with the quickest distinction (I'll post that later on), but what differences do your eyes see?
Sometimes, though, the uniform standards of the imaging process may also make it hard to tell one die variety from another, as with the recent silver restrikes of the Libertas Americana medal. Here's a comparison of the 2004, 2014 and 2015 silver restrikes --
Having purchased these separately when they were available, I know which one is which -- but how can you tell just from the comparisons of the photos?? I think I've come up with the quickest distinction (I'll post that later on), but what differences do your eyes see?
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Comments
bob
idk but i like the 2004 image the best, by far.
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Dated on the edge??
bob
The gold restrikes produced in 2000 were marked on the edge, but these silver restrikes have plain edges.
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idk but i like the 2004 image the best, by far.
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The 2004 restrike does have a more satiny appearance to the raised design elements!
Lance.
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
Cool coins!
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
By the thickness of the base of the pole?
Lance.
That is definitely true, so a precise measurement of the pole would work. That being said, it would be difficult to tell which one you had if you only had one of them in your hands and didn't have a micrometer to measure the pole width.
...tip of the pole starts furthest from C in Americana and gets closer and closer each issue?
Cool coins!
It seems that way in the photos, but that would also be hard to tell if you only had one in front of you.
It's not so much the photo as it is the coins.
Actually, it really is the TrueView photo technique that creates the illusion!
Let's see if we get any more input, and then I'll post my solution.
The definition of the cap fades with each subsequent issue.
I definitely see that in the TrueView photos, but having the coins in hand, I can't see any difference in the definition of the cap between the 2014 and 2015 issues. The 2004 issue does show a different texture to the frosted relief areas, which seems to add definition to the cap.
Here again is the composite of the TrueView photos:
And, here is my photo of the three side-by-side, in their PCGS holders:
As you can see, while the obverse looks almost identical in all three TrueView images composited in the first post, they are of vastly different sizes. The 2004 issue is 40mm in diameter and weighs 24 grams; the 2014 issue is 50mm in diameter and weighs 163.8 grams; and the 2015 issue is 100mm in diameter and weighs 1000 grams.
Latin American Collection
Do they have a policy in place that they will not reproduce size/finish combinations in different years to minimize collector confusion (or simply to create more collectible varieties perhaps)?
Regardless of the size, it's always good that she has a shovel.
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
I really want to add one or more to my collection sometime.
Nice images of beautiful coins.
This is where the TrueView photos create the illusion, as the primary difference between the three issues is not visible in the standard TrueView photos at all.
Here again is the composite of the TrueView photos:
And, here is my photo of the three side-by-side, in their PCGS holders:
As you can see, while the obverse looks almost identical in all three TrueView images composited in the first post, they are of vastly different sizes. The 2004 issue is 40mm in diameter and weighs 24 grams; the 2014 issue is 50mm in diameter and weighs 155.5 grams; and the 2015 issue is 100mm in diameter and weighs 1000 grams.
Great post Cardinal.
What are the mintages for these 3 issues?
...tip of the pole starts furthest from C in Americana and gets closer and closer each issue?
Cool coins!
This is what I was looking at as well!
These look like great works of art. Very nice medals. Wish the US Mint would add some artistry to their medals again, like in the 19th century.
Great post Cardinal.
What are the mintages for these 3 issues?
Thanks! The 2004 silver restrike had a mintage of 15,000 (versus the gold restrike with only 1,776 minted). The 2014 restrike had a mintage of 10,000, and the 2015 Kilos had a mintage of 1000.
These look like great works of art. Very nice medals. Wish the US Mint would add some artistry to their medals again, like in the 19th century.
I totally agree with you! When the concept of the new "golden" dollars came up, this was one of the designs submitted for consideration --
But, instead we got the (nearly non-circulating) Sacagawea dollar.
These look like great works of art. Very nice medals. Wish the US Mint would add some artistry to their medals again, like in the 19th century.
I totally agree with you! When the concept of the new "golden" dollars came up, this was one of the designs submitted for consideration --
But, instead we got the (nearly non-circulating) Sacagawea dollar.
WOW!...now that is a Beautiful design and coin...they chose unwisely with the Sac!