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 Replies: 20 / Views: 5,189 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2669 Posts |
Hi All, I think this is a VAM 38. Anyone care to venture a grade? I actually bought this as a VAM 70, but the seller apparently didn't look beyond the doubled "RIB".. and the pictures weren't good enough to tell that everything else was doubled on the obverse, as well. By the way, is there a difference in price between the two? The 70 is a Top 100 while the 38 is not. Please excuse the slightly different color tone between the pictures - I'm experimenting with different picture-taking lighting and these were taken on different days.   Here are bigger versions if you want to peek closer: Reverrse: https://www.dragonshadows.com/pics/...TF-VAM38.jpgObverse: https://www.dragonshadows.com/pics/...TF-VAM38.jpgthanks  |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2669 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2797 Posts |
xshift, Yes it is a VAM 38. I can't tell if all the luster remains from the photos (need to adjust white balance), so it could grade anywhere between AU55 and MS62. I won't go any higher than 62 because the coin has taken some significant hits ... cheek and motto on the obverse and in the field on the reverse. Still it's a nice example of this VAM. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2669 Posts |
Thanks .. white balance is killing me  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2797 Posts |
Quote:
white balance is killing me It's easy to set. What type camera are you using? |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
580 Posts |
Dave, I can see that it's a VAM 38 from the letter shift in the legend on the obverse, but I can't see (or maybe understand?) what is needed on the reverse. It has something to do with the overpolished area between the eagle's leg and wing? Mike |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2669 Posts |
Dave - it's a Canon Rebel SLR. I've tested pre-picture-taking and post-processing with RAW on the white balances available, but maybe I don't have something else set right to go with it? Mike - it's hard for me to see 'over polishing', too. I've highlighted the area in red on this picture below of where I think they are talking about for that. The link above for the reverse goes to a much bigger picture so it might be easier to view that one.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2797 Posts |
xshift,
I have the Canon S5 IS, not an slr but still a Canon. How do you set the White Balance? Are you using a white or photo grey test sheet? If you are using a test sheet, I think I've isolated the problem.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2797 Posts |
Mike,
VAMWorld only lists one key reverse feature to look for (other than 5 TF showing) ... lack of pitting around the letter 'r' in trust. That alone separates it from VAMs 39 and 40.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2669 Posts |
Dave.. yes, the test sheet. I think at one point I tried an ultra white piece of printer paper, then followed Super Dave's suggestion in his photography thread of the coffee filter. Neither has made much of a difference. Is that the culprit?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2797 Posts |
xshift,
Sounds like your wb is not functioning properly. Using a coffee filter should not return the "yellow" color on this white coin. I have to set the wb whenever I change functions on my S5 IS. The only things I change after setting wb are shutter speed, aperature and focus.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
14454 Posts |
as far as price difference between the VAM-70 and the VAM-38, there is a big difference in price, the VAM-70 is the only TOP100 coin that shares the B1 Reverse (VAM-79 is a HOT50) and the VAM-70 is allot rarer than a VAM-38 so there is a pretty big difference in price between the two because of the rarity of the VAM-70
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2669 Posts |
Dave - do you have a usual setting for the shutter speed, aperature and focus (and would you mind sharing?)? It could still be something dumb I'm doing. Maybe I just need to sit down and go thru the manual with a fine-tooth comb. Bryan1315 - Thanks.. at least I didn't go TOO overboard on it when I thought I was buying a 70..  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2797 Posts |
xshift,
It all depends on the quantity and type of light you're using. I normally shoot in ISO 100 at shutter speeds greater than 1/60 and vary the aperature to get the right exposure. If I need greater depth of field, I'll bump up the ISO or slow the shutter speed so I can increase the aperature. Mines metered through the lens, so I just need to keep out of the "red" zone on the exposure. Oh, and I use a copy stand with dual light set-up.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2669 Posts |
Thanks, Dave. I've been looking at copy stands lately. I have a tripod with the camera pointing straight down but that is sometimes a bit awkward. I've also ordered that new book that's coming out (was supposed to be out the 15th but hasn't yet) on 'numismatic photography' ( http://www.amazon.com/Numismatic-Ph...7054&sr=8-1) . Thanks for the information.. looks like I've got some tweaking to do  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2669 Posts |
Does anyone see any giveaway marks on this coin that would point to why this came back as 'cleaned' from PCGS?  |
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Replies: 20 / Views: 5,189 |
Posted 07/17/2008 08:24 am
