Dear Glamour Shot ...

SeattleSlammer · December 5, 2015 9:32AM

... I've been meaning to write to you for years. You just haven't been honest with me and I can't take it anymore. Please stop the charade. I mean in all seriousness you look like you're lit from within by white light. That's not natural. You look like a caricature of your true self. Don't get me wrong, you always look good...too good. You never have a bad hair day. Your cheek looks smooth as a baby's bottom even though I know it's pockmarked. Your fields look smooth and glassy but I know that they're scratched and littered with dirt. You always insist on showing me that "just so" tilt that makes your imperfections melt away. But they're just glossed over. It's not real. Please stop parading around like a better version of yourself. Just the other day I saw your sister, in-hand, and everyone knows that she's super clean, a real gem, yet somehow the two of you look like twins? Don't be ashamed. Deep down you've got real character. I just want to see the real you.

Sincerely,

SeattleSlammer

TomB · December 5, 2015 9:44AM

JJSingleton · December 5, 2015 9:56AM

Great post.

BustCuds · December 5, 2015 10:01AM

keyman64 · December 5, 2015 10:06AM

Zoins · December 5, 2015 10:15AM

If only coins could talk....

Analyst · December 5, 2015 10:25AM

Slammer: Don't get me wrong, you always look good...too good. You never have a bad hair day. Your cheek looks smooth as a baby's bottom even though I know it's pockmarked. Your fields look smooth and glassy but I know that they're scratched and littered with dirt. You always insist on showing me that "just so" tilt that makes your imperfections melt away. But they're just glossed over. It's not real.

The original post is brilliant. I wish I had discussed such issues so elegantly.

The Specter of Coin Doctoring and The Survival of Great Coins

Zoins · December 5, 2015 10:33AM

Originally posted by: Analyst

Slammer: Don't get me wrong, you always look good...too good. You never have a bad hair day. Your cheek looks smooth as a baby's bottom even though I know it's pockmarked. Your fields look smooth and glassy but I know that they're scratched and littered with dirt. You always insist on showing me that "just so" tilt that makes your imperfections melt away. But they're just glossed over. It's not real.

The original post is brilliant. I wish I had discussed such issues so elegantly.

The Specter of Coin Doctoring and The Survival of Great Coins

It seems that there are never any consequences for the doctors, only collectors, TPGs and of course the coins themselves.

BackroadJunkie · December 5, 2015 10:35AM

I've been on a campaign for some 15-20 years now, that you should never trust a photograph. Ever since Photoshop 4, I think.

It is so very easy to convincingly manipulate an image now. You just need to know how to use the tools.

(It was a lot harder when I was in the darkroom, but it even went on when photography was analog...)

breakdown · December 5, 2015 10:45AM

So true. I find it particularly ridiculous when the description says something like "A mark to the right of Liberty's head is grade-limiting." And the mark is not visible in the image.

abcde12345 · December 5, 2015 10:46AM

And the above is why many, if not most collectors are male (and single)!

MidLifeCrisis · December 5, 2015 12:59PM

Excellent!

BryceM · December 5, 2015 1:21PM

Yup. I returned a coin this week (my second or third return ever, I think) because I took a chance on a glamour shot. Another photo from the dealer was available too, but I thought (hoped?) it was over-emphasizing the hits & luster breaks. It turns out the photo with the flaws was more true to the in-hand appearance.

So much better to buy at shows........

lkeigwin · December 5, 2015 2:20PM

When I see one glamor shot from a seller I automatically assume everything else is glamorized and not to be trusted.

If Heritage didn't have slab photos I'd never bid on another coin.

Lance.

oih82w8 · December 5, 2015 10:13PM

I thought maybe someone here did have the call-sign "glamourshot".

I too have been taken in by some marvelous imagery only to return the coin in disgust of what lies beyond the shadows.

winky · December 5, 2015 11:24PM

Great post.

hickoryridge · December 6, 2015 2:08AM

Good one !

ricko · December 6, 2015 5:10AM

Glamour shots of coins are much like looking at the centerfold of playboy... WOW... but in hand,

hmmmm Cheers, RickO

SeattleSlammer · December 6, 2015 7:35AM

Originally posted by: ricko
Glamour shots of coins are much like looking at the centerfold of playboy... WOW... but in hand,
hmmmm Cheers, RickO

Sadly I'm gonna have to take your word for that.

mercurydimeguy · December 6, 2015 8:09AM

Originally posted by: ricko
Glamour shots of coins are much like looking at the centerfold of playboy... WOW... but in hand,
hmmmm Cheers, RickO

This is wrong on so many different levels

OldIndianNutKase · December 6, 2015 11:21AM

Glamour shots can indeed be misleading, and I have returned a number of coins that were clearly mirepresented in that manner. I find it funny that I have bought coins with lousy pics solely based upon the grade and have been very pleasantly surprised when I viewed the coin in hand.

OINK

Goldbully · December 6, 2015 11:32AM

David, could glamour shots be considered money shots also? Nice little piece.

Desert Moon · December 6, 2015 12:07PM

Originally posted by: SeattleSlammer
... I've been meaning to write to you for years. You just haven't been honest with me and I can't take it anymore. Please stop the charade. I mean in all seriousness you look like you're lit from within by white light. That's not natural. You look like a caricature of your true self. Don't get me wrong, you always look good...too good. You never have a bad hair day. Your cheek looks smooth as a baby's bottom even though I know it's pockmarked. Your fields look smooth and glassy but I know that they're scratched and littered with dirt. You always insist on showing me that "just so" tilt that makes your imperfections melt away. But they're just glossed over. It's not real. Please stop parading around like a better version of yourself. Just the other day I saw your sister, in-hand, and everyone knows that she's super clean, a real gem, yet somehow the two of you look like twins? Don't be ashamed. Deep down you've got real character. I just want to see the real you.

Sincerely,

SeattleSlammer

Not real sure what you mean. Capturing the beauty of even fugly coins is something worth pursuing. Every coin has its beauty, it is up to the photographer to see it, and the skills to record it. A coin can look bland in one angle in the light and look like Miss America in another....... So can you show us examples?

Best, SH

Zoins · December 6, 2015 3:16PM

I think nice photos are fine to enjoy coins, however, there can be issues if one relies on them for sight unseen purchases.

mercurydimeguy · December 7, 2015 7:03AM

Meant to ask, what do you consider a glamour shot? Do you have an example? Want to make sure it is what I'm thinking you mean...

SeattleSlammer · December 7, 2015 8:13AM

Originally posted by: mercurydimeguy
Meant to ask, what do you consider a glamour shot? Do you have an example? Want to make sure it is what I'm thinking you mean...

Like this ...

mercurydimeguy · December 7, 2015 8:25AM

Originally posted by: SeattleSlammer

Originally posted by: mercurydimeguy
Meant to ask, what do you consider a glamour shot? Do you have an example? Want to make sure it is what I'm thinking you mean...

Like this ...

Point made, thank you

Dear Glamour Shot ...

Comments

Leave a Comment