Who Takes The Best Coin Pictures On eBay?

WWW · May 29, 2004 11:32AM

Who do you think does the best imaging? I know a couple of you do a really good job
of it and I was wondering if there was a consensus among this group as to who it is.

wjd283 · May 29, 2004 11:46AM

Have'nt seen everyones,but these are OK.

Great pics !

roadrunner · May 29, 2004 11:54AM

On the dealer side I'd say Legend does a very good overall job.

On the collector side I love the way Bustman shoots his gem coins.

roadrunner

fountainheadgold · May 29, 2004 11:57AM

Greattoning does a great job

XpipedreamR · May 29, 2004 12:09PM

Airplanenut(can't think of his eBay name) is very good.

greattoning has greatphotos, but they have a weird sort of quality that I can't describe...I can't really put my finger on it. I don't know that much about photography.

For as many coins as he lists, mnmcoin has consistently accurate, solid pics.

Though he's not on eBay, I think Darkhorse has some of the best coin pics I've seen. He's a real master of coin photography.

airplanenut · May 29, 2004 12:18PM

Thanks, XPipe

Greattonings pictures look to have a high increase in saturation, IMO. As said, Russ does a fantastic job, too

And we like samples!

One of my best buys ever:

DHeath · May 29, 2004 12:21PM

I always liked Wynn Carner's pics. They make me want to purchase.

WWW · May 29, 2004 12:28PM

I'll vote for the ANACONDA, aka Adrian Crane for many reasons but mostly
because he took the time to help me out with my many imaging questions.

Shylock and Boiler78 are also very good at coin imaging but I don't know if they sell on eBay.

airplanenut · May 29, 2004 12:29PM

Shylock pops up very occasionally on eBay... I agree, he's probably one of the best ever out there... and so friendly, too

robertpr · May 29, 2004 12:49PM

I'm the best coin imager on eBay.
Example
Example

End of thread.

Seriously, I learned all I know from Russ.

jacktheknife · May 29, 2004 1:15PM

My comment is not totally on topic, but as far as online photos go, ANR's photos in their upcoming auction are the best of any of the auction houses. JMHO.

dpoole · May 29, 2004 1:30PM

Ira Stein has great photos.

razorface1027 · May 29, 2004 10:54PM

W.Carner takes some purrrdy good shots.

goose3 · May 29, 2004 11:02PM

Shylock does when he lists a coin.

No one surpasses his. PERIOD

cosmicdebris · May 29, 2004 11:33PM

HOW ABOUT THIS GUY?
OR THIS GUY?
OR THIS GUY?

XpipedreamR · May 29, 2004 11:36PM

<< HOW ABOUT THIS GUY?

>>

That guy has nice pics, but all he sells is silly play money

cosmicdebris · May 29, 2004 11:49PM

Are you saying THIS is silly play money?

coinlieutenant · May 30, 2004 12:18AM

I'd have to go with Shylock followed closely by Anaconda.

They take different styles of pictures truthfully. Adrian generally puts nice backgrounds behind his coins that add to the overall shot. Paul is all coin...

I would have to say Bill, that you take some nice pics yourself...and Jeremy...

I wont blow the cover on Mark (Boiler)... I'll let him tell you how he takes his great "pics"

LOL!!! Sorry Mark!! I ratted you out.

Frank takes some nice pics too and does Darkhorse. Really, in the last year alot of people have really improved on their photography.

bennybravo · May 30, 2004 12:27AM

There are lots of really good coin photographers on this forum and eBay, but Shylock is a couple of notches above everyone IMO.He should author a manual and sell it.I'd be first in line!

puff · May 30, 2004 12:57AM

There are just to many good coin photographers here on this forum to say who does the best job and I would hate to try to decide, nor would I want to slight anyone, and all of them do an excellent job......

But if I had to pick one of the better ones that are what I consider regular sellers on Ebay, it would be ANACONDA, (Adrian), not just for his excellent photos, but how he presents them with background, and many times a great a story to boot!

My favorites here on the forum, (and I'll probably miss a few because I haven't seen their photos), would be......

Cosmicdebris
FC57coins
Airplanenut
Russ
Shylok
Greattoning
MANOFCOINS

darktone · May 30, 2004 1:09AM

I think there is a big difference on who takes the best coin pictures and who captures the true look of the coin in a picture. I agree some take great pictures but I think there pictures don't show the true look of the coin- sorry guy's just being honest and I hope I don't get flamed too bad. To me a good coin picture will show the coins flaws as well as make it look it natural- I know if you angle and light coins just right you can make them look great but is that what makes the best picture? mike

edited so I am not mis-understood.

darktone · May 30, 2004 1:10AM

Also I wanted to add that those that use OTT lights in my opinion will never be able to show the true look of the coin. mike

KlectorKid · May 30, 2004 1:16AM

I'll go ANACONDA.

Auction

CarlWohlforth · May 30, 2004 1:57AM

I would like to thank Anaconda, Shylock, Russ, Jeremy, Cosmic and everybody else for sharing hints and suggestions on photographing coins. I listen and try these out and continue to work on my technique. I'd still be using a scanner if it wasn't for you all.

dpoole · May 30, 2004 2:05AM

<< Also I wanted to add that those that use OTT lights in my opinion will never be able to show the true look of the coin. >>

Hmm. I'd understood that OTT lights best mimic natural light, and show the true looks well. I'd be sincerely interested in hearing more from you about your opinion here, Darktone.

Thanks!

airplanenut · May 30, 2004 2:20AM

Oh, and become a better photographer...

8-page tutorial from start to finish!

darktone · May 30, 2004 2:22AM

OTT lights give off an un-natural effect in my opinion. Like a flourescent light does. I can usually spot pictures taken with these lights and others wonder how I can tell- to me the light blue tint is a dead give away. Maybe if some others post pictures that were taken with OTT lights you will see what I mean. mike

CarlWohlforth · May 30, 2004 3:01AM

Sometimes it seems the Ott lights are too blue. Also it seems the reveal lights are too red. Sometimes the natural light in my office is just right, but most of the time it isn't so I mostly use Ott lights. Here is a photo I took this morning using Ott lights:

edited to mention I took another shot that my wife agrees better represents what the coin really looks like so this image was updated 12:35 Pacific Time Sunday.

airplanenut · May 30, 2004 3:05AM

Carl--it looks as if the Ott lights might not give off enough light... with more light you'll get more contrast, like this:

Mind you the bit of red is from a Reveal bulb--I have since refined my photographic practices to make the coin white and have still better frost

Russ · May 30, 2004 3:08AM

<< I agree Shylock,greattoning and Russ take great pictures but I think there pictures don't show the true look of the coin- >>

Mike,

I'm curious. Have you ever seen a coin I've shot in-hand?

Russ, NCNE

jom · May 30, 2004 3:33AM

<< Also I wanted to add that those that use OTT lights in my opinion will never be able to show the true look of the coin. >>

I wholehartedly disagree with this. The pictures I take look very much like they do in person and I attribute that to the OTT lamp I use. Oddly, I do have a problem with the OTT lamp that looks like a U shaped tube. I bought a couple of those and they didn't work well for me. The "swirl" bulb works great...why the shape of the bulb has anything to do with it is beyond me.

I like Ira Steins the best because I believe his represents what the coin looks like the most. Plus, they look similar to my pics. heh

Greattoning has some neat pics but a good number of them are highly saturated. I bought a Buffalo from him some time ago that looked NOTHING like the coin. The coin was nice however so I kept it. You have to do a good bit of "decoding" to tell what it really looks like.

Anacond has good photos too.

Shylock does a great job with copper. I have to give Shylock props as he helped me considerably with ideas to get pics of my coins. Thanks man! Where are YOU, BTW?

It really comes down to the type of coin you are shooting. Copper will be different than silver which is different than gold etc. Then there is the difficulty of taking shots of Proof coins vs. Unc. I, personally, have trouble with NGC slabbed coins because of the WHITE background.

jom

EVillageProwler · May 30, 2004 3:51AM

Adrian generally puts nice backgrounds behind his coins that add to the overall shot.

Speaking of nice backgrounds, whatever happened to Stephanie?

EVP

darktone · May 30, 2004 4:10AM

No Russ, I have not but I have seen lots of your pictures of proof 65-69 Kennedy's that look totally flawless and they make the coins look excellent! but my point is that the pictures make the coins look better than they really are or else some flaws would be seen and the fields would show more than being just black. Please don't anyone take this is a personel attack. mike

darktone · May 30, 2004 4:14AM

<< Greattoning has some neat pics but a good number of them are highly saturated. I bought a Buffalo from him some time ago that looked NOTHING like the coin. The coin was nice however so I kept it. You have to do a good bit of "decoding" to tell what it really looks like. >>

I guess this was the point I was trying to get across. Jom did a much better job than I did at doing it though. Don't get me wrong about OTT lights they work fine but I don't think they are the best light source. mike

airplanenut · May 30, 2004 4:16AM

Mike,

While I see the logic with what you say about proof photography, I think something is missing. Generally proofs do look flawless (unless they have a real hit) in most light. The only time they don't is when they are at the right angle in the right light, which is when hairlines appear... just as one won't look at a coin in their collection in the light that brings out flaws, neither will a seller do that.

Russ, however, does disclose everything about his coins--if there are hairlines, he'll tell you. The fact that he does that, which is above what most sellers who sell proofs do, is something quite respectable.

Thus, I like Russ' photos and how he sells

Jeremy

K6AZ · May 30, 2004 4:17AM

Ebay

darktone · May 30, 2004 4:23AM

<< just as one won't look at a coin in their collection in the light that brings out flaws, neither will a seller do that. >>

I will look at the flaws as well as the good points- I think a good coin picture can show both.

<< Russ, however, does disclose everything about his coins--if there are hairlines, he'll tell you. The fact that he does that, which is above what most sellers who sell proofs do, is something quite respectable. >>

I never questioned Russ's integrity one bit and I would buy from him in a heartbeat! All I was trying to say is that there are different standards to what constitutes the best coin pictures in my opinion. Maybe I should edit out that post so thier is no more mis-understandings? mike

Russ · May 30, 2004 4:26AM

<< No Russ, I have not but I have seen lots of your pictures of proof 65-69 Kennedy's that look totally flawless and they make the coins look excellent! >>

I'd suggest that the ones that look excellent do so because they are. I'd also suggest that maybe you should look at my past auction images before claiming that the coins look "totally flawless". One example - as presented in an auction:

That image clearly shows the problems with that coin, and I can fill this thread with dozens more just like it that appeared in my auctions. I hide nothing, do no editing and try to present every coin as it will appear in-hand.

The coins I present here at the forum are generally my keepers so, of course they are going to look excellent. But, here's another example that happens to be in my set:

There's no mistaking the strike-thru in the left obverse field on that coin. One quick angle change and I could easily have made it disappear.

And finally, an example that looks flawless in the image, because it also looks flawless in-hand:

My only goal when imaging coins is to make them as close to reality as possible within the limits of digital photography. I don't always succeed, but I try.

Russ, NCNE

Russ · May 30, 2004 4:36AM

<< I think a good coin picture can show both. >>

With modern proof coins, it is simply not possible to capture hairlines unless the coin is shot at a very severe angle under very harsh lighting. Doing so makes the coin look nothing at all like it does in-hand. Example:

In-hand, that coin looks like it does on the left. It is loaded with hairlines, but looks nothing like the image on the right.

Russ, NCNE

Craton · May 30, 2004 4:43AM

<<

Ebay >>

I haven't jumped in on this thread because there are numerous folks out there who take really good coin images. I noticed (and so has Eric) that nobody has mentioned him in this thread. He takes very good and consistant images.
I used to be pretty good at it but my skills have dulled up and with the better cameras coming down in price, my older camera isn't as good as it used to be.

darktone · May 30, 2004 4:48AM

Russ, are those both the same coins

?

darktone · May 30, 2004 4:51AM

<< haven't jumped in on this thread because there are numerous folks out there who take really good coin images. I noticed (and so has Eric) that nobody has mentioned him in this thread. He takes very good and consistant images. >>

I agree Eric has great pictures as well! There are so many nice pictures on ebay- I remember what it was like when I first looked on ebay and at coin pictures and it has improved greatly. mike

Russ · May 30, 2004 5:01AM

<< Russ, are those both the same coins? >>

Yep, and this is what it looked like in the eBay auction where I bought it:

Of course, the seller made no mention of the hairlining and, in fact, described it as problem free.

Russ, NCNE

ElectricEye · May 30, 2004 5:03AM

Agreed, E.T. takes some pretty damn good pics ~ I picked his brain recently about his techniques and improved my shooting abilities tremendously!

darktone · May 30, 2004 5:07AM

Thats too bad- I hope you were able to get your money back? I think my idea of a perfect picture with a coin that looks like that would be one that showed off the damaged area to reveal the true value of the coin. mike

stman · May 30, 2004 5:22AM

<< Greattoning has some neat pics but a good number of them are highly saturated. I bought a Buffalo from him some time ago that looked NOTHING like the coin. The coin was nice however so I kept it. You have to do a good bit of "decoding" to tell what it really looks like. >>

Say it isn't so!!!!

Russ · May 30, 2004 5:25AM

<< Thats too bad- I hope you were able to get your money back? >>

He offered a refund without hesitation. It was only $10, though, so I decided to keep it as an educational tool.

Russ, NCNE

coinlieutenant · May 30, 2004 5:27AM

Maybe we should have a contest...

Everyone who wants to enters three pictures that they think are the best they have for competition in whatever layout they deem acceptable. Single coins, collages, catchy backgrounds. Then we can have a poll and see who wins!! Title is held for one year!!! Photo champion of the boards!!!!

What does everyone think? I will put it together if there is interest?

John

darktone · May 30, 2004 5:29AM

<< Single coins, collages, catchy backgrounds. >>

how about we make it interesting and take pictures of girls in swimsuits

CarlWohlforth · May 30, 2004 5:32AM

A competition would only be fair if we were photographing the same coin, wouldn't it?

coinlieutenant · May 30, 2004 5:36AM

Carl,

Not necessarily... The contest would be in the eye of the beholder only. It would be based on artistic presentation, originality, lighting, contrast, and overall appeal.

While we wouldnt be able to see if they represent the coin the best, we all have a good idea about a "juiced pic" vice a real one...

John

Who Takes The Best Coin Pictures On eBay?

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