dougsmit

My current failure in progress is this denarius of L Aemelius Paulus which has a Stannard scoop for weight adjustment. http://stannard.info/stannard_adjustment_al marco_of_denarii_blanks.pdf I have several scooped coins but this one is distinctive in having eleven stutters along its length (a record Guinness has not recorded). Some of the ridge details are stronger than others and lighting the coin to show them all without completely ruining the rest of the coin surface details has not come easily to me. I doubt this one will be the final attempt unless I just give up and recognize that no one cares but me.

No Problem! I'd be happy to try for a better photo. All you have to do is send me the coin (and a few others I know you have) and I'll shoot it again. However, I am a bit backed up at the moment but I'll try to get around to it in a few years/decades when I'll return it to you if I remember to do it (my mind is slipping fast). Meanwhile, I attach my second rate old photo made back before the trade that relocated the coin north of the border. I was a hockey fan when young and went to several games of the Indianapolis Chiefs (a minor league team that went out of business when I was in high school ending my interest in the sport). When I was a fan there were few barriers to protect fans and I always sat next to the ice where I could retrieve errant pucks. We kids played hockey on frozen streets wearing slick shoes (no one owned skates) and used those free pucks to advantage. Once I got a broken stick which became my prized possession (just behind my piece of burnt leather from the safety belt race car driver Bill Vukovich was wearing when he died - my mother was dating a fireman at the scene at that time). When I went away to college, my mother threw out all my childish possessions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indianapolis_Chiefs Is there an ancient coin that shows snow or ice? Perhaps there is one showing a toothless man??? IDK

People have posted most of the usual Sicilian coinage but I wonder how many of you have this Syracuse ---- New York, that is. It was given as an advertising premium in 1898 by the Sterns bicycle company from Syracuse NY. A bit more appropriate is my Gelas AE onkia (AE12) 420-405 BC showing a river god with floating hair.

Sybaris before the 510 BC destruction also issued minor silver fractions that are many times more scarce than the larger nomos denomination. My favorite one has the old style MY (sigma upsilon) monogram and four dots which struke me as a trias denomination indicator but that is not always consistent with the prevailing view among experts. CNG called it an obol which I can not accept. I am no fan of forcing Athenian names on coins of other cities unless there is some evidence suggesting that is correct. There are other coins with other dot patterns so the truth is that I have no idea what to call the 0.25g little coin. My somewhat worn nomos weighs 7.07g which would make the smaller coin 1/28 of it. I have no idea how the system worked below the one third as shown above by antwerpen2306. Much later but still a favorite of mine is the 420-400 BC, 7.4g AR 'stater' of Kroton featuring an eagle on deer head. In this game, coins that late are almost 'modern'. 😁

I agree there is a lot of interest and value in having many of the books mentioned here and I learned a lot from the ones I had. Of course along the way I got a few dozen books that were not worth the paper they were printed on let alone the postage to pollute the minds of others who might actually believe some of their since updated statements. I still believe that there are enough really well done pages online that will help beginners for free but people tend to believe that nothing free can be worth having. I am no fan of any catalog on coins that does nothing more than provide catalog numbers. RIC, IMHO, would make a valuable reference if they issued only the non-catalog chapter heads all in one book that could have sold for the price of one of the regular volumes. In general, beginners are looking for something that summarizes everything ever known about every coin in a slim volume that costs nothing. There is no Red Book of ancient coins. I have opinions on some books but those were posted on my web page back when it was new so it includes books like Vagi that have gotten harder to find at a reasonable price. That page is still there. https://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/book.html

https://artemis-collection.com/photography/coin-photography-on-a-budget/ I missed seeing this link before but believe it is the best explanation of coin photography with a phone that I have seen. It does not make me want to throw out my camera. In particular, I liked the use of the lab jack to move the coin. I have used them to move the coin with a heavier camera fixed in position. In general, I believe it is better to move the lighter object and fix the heavier one solidly in place. My camera is heavier than my coins and the posts that support them.

This is just an opinion: I believe 2-3 hours once a week is plenty to devote to learning what you need to know about photography if you do it 'right'. Rather than slamming out as many coins as you can, start with one or even two with different 'situations' (rough-smooth, silver-bronze, large-small). I would start with coins that are easier so you get some success at first. Blast white, black as pitch, scrubbed and polished are not the easiest. Having selected the coin, shoot it in a few different lights. Shoot it with very flat, diffused and non-directional light. Shoot it with diffused, directional light from the top and slightly offset to top left and top right and process each photo to the best of your ability. Then compare them and see what worked and what did not. In 2011 I gave a talk to a local club with few ancient collectors so I shot what I had in modern coins to keep them awake. If you click on each slide, you can read text about that photo that might help. Part of me wonders if I should return to this set up. Some of my recent photos are not as good. See if it helps in any way. https://pbase.com/dougsmit/coinphotobasic

These come with some less than standard bust styles. I do not have the 'eyes to heaven' style. This one has cuirass and rosette diadem.

Slightly more unusual is this Sabaean (Arabia) quarter unit (1.28g) part of a series with several denominations distinguished by the letter on Athena's cheek. Sear Greek 6114.

I believe what we have shown here is that we will have to link images if what we are talking about is image quality and that it is meaningless to compliment someone on photos posted in the normal way. I'm wondering if it makes a difference if you use cut and paste or link to an offsite URL. This darkly toned denarius example shows I missed focus a bit on the obverse but that would never show in a normal upload. It also shows that there was dust on the coin that needed to be touched out. I'm wondering if it will enlarge to full 4256x2837 but won't know that until it is posted. EDIT:It did but to see it at that size you need to open it in a new tab (right click on windows) and then click again to enlarge. Now that I have a better understanding of the way it works, I can go back to posting fuzzy photos that show the coin well enough to sell on eBay but not to print for a wall hanging.

As an experiment, this was linked to the same file on PBase. Is there a difference? You have to open image in a new tab to see it larger but still reduced to a fraction of the original.

I have been strongly considering the Laowa in EF mount because that one has electrical connections while the RF one does not. Some of Laowa's choices seem odd to me. Note the massive and electrically wired 100 EF sells for only $50 more than he fully manual 85mm f/5.6. I made the image below for those who understand the question. The Obverse was taken with the gray reflector. The reverse was with the white one. On this coin, perhaps truth in between the two but on darker coins I usually prefer the gray since the white looks overdone. It is a waste to try to post sharp images herewith the software reducing them to 1/4 the size Facebook uses (and we thought that was bad?).

This is the crop allowable (I hope).

Sorry this subject took a turn toward the nasty. It did point out that my old rig was unnecessarily complicated so I destroyed it and will try something simpler. I have trouble getting good and even focus using a solid stand so I won't be going to the handheld camp. If images taken that way are what you want, take them. This is from this morning and is reduced to 803 KB which is allowed here. The full file is over 800 MB. It would be fine if I wanted a large print but the fact remains that this coin and the lighting used are neither one worth making a wall hanging of any size. The second is an unreduced section of the whole. I used my gray edge reflector but am considering trying the white one that would lighten the edge more (too much more?). The 100mm Yashinon lens was purchased new 45 years ago. It was a cheap macro then. Then, as now, I did not afford Zeiss. I see what I thought was allowable here was not so my crop image was downsized by the software. The pair as also downsized from what I thought was allowable. Just wat is the allowable image here?

That is great. Have you considered posting them on one of the online repositories for such things that have thousands of totally useless files for everyone except the few people who find them wonderful?

I remain curious how a lens can damage a sensor especially on a DSLR that covers the sensor with a shutter curtain when not actually taking a picture. My low end Cannon mirrorless RP does not cover the sensor so pointing it at the sun might seems a problem but I have had no issues and have just under 40,000 images on the body (mostly not coins these days). In addition to the contactless enlarger lens (mine is a Leitz), I have used a dozen different home mounted/adapted lenses from 8 to 600 mm. I did decide to stop using my Takumar 50mm f/1.4 out of concern that its bring radioactive in the rear elements might not be good for the uncovered sensor. That may be being overly cautious??? I have avoided commenting on some of the things in this thread that I consider just plain wrong. I have posted my opinions on photo so many times that I am tired of it. Do things that work for you. If a phone shot is good enough for you, fine. I do find it interesting that I have some 3D printed edge enhancing cones almost identical to some shown here but I lost access to a 3D printer when the local library closed their Makerspace due to Covid. I might not go back because too many people around here are tired of Covid restrictions and doing things that make me not want to be around them. I do agree that adding diffusion to a ring light is a good idea but You need to compromise on its size or it gets hard to mix in directional light. This is a phone shot. I can't get any photos with my phone that I find all that pleasing but since I own cameras, that is OK.

This might be a good place to make a couple points about collecting ancient coins and even point out that there are some parallel things in modern, US coinage. Since you are thenickelguy, I might point out a few situations involving nickels. There are a million different variations on ancient coins. If you get really picky, there were probably several million of which many have not yet been discovered and may not exist even below ground. It is possible to get a specimen of every US nickel defined as date/mintmark combinations. There are some nickel coins that are more different so you feel the need for a Type 1 or Type 2 or a three legged one. In a few cases, you can date a coin without having the date remain (remember when people dipped slick buffalo nickels in acid to bring out the date?). With ancients, a very small percentage of collectors collects by date and the vast majority of coin are not openly dated even if they can be narrowed down to a period within a reign. Your coin is not dated but comes from a few years when Licinius revalued the coinage to 12 1/2 denarii of account rather than the old 25 which was used by his co-emperor Constantine. The majority of people who want a coin of Licinius (many do not care even to have one) do not really care about such fine points. It is like nickels where there are specialists who want every minor variation down to die cracks, regular collectors who want one of each date or mint and type collectors who want one nickel of a handful of major types. Not everyone will agree on what defines a collectable variation. Some nickel collectors may want a 'no cents' coin while others will do with one V or say "I only collect buffalos." Quite a few only want the rare variations and have no interest whatsoever in the rest of the run. Some will collect 3 cent and copper nickel 1 cent coins. Others will include the nickels without nickel issued in WWII. All these situations have parallels in ancients. If you have a rare variation made different by the workshop letter or an extra dot here or there, you may have trouble finding someone who cares unless you are lucky enough to know someone who shares you exact obsession. I do not have an exact match of your coin but I only have 33 Licinius I coins which classifies me as barely interested in him at all. We have a few people here who are much more into him than I am but it would be less than certain that any of them either have this coin or are anxious to obtain it. I have no idea how many variations there are in coins of Licinius. The way catalogs are arranged, you do not get a different number for each workshop. There are even people who only collect coin "Not in RIC" (the 'standard' catalog missed many coins). It happens I do have the SMANTZ coin of this general variation issued in the name of Licinius I's son Licinius II (as Noble Caesar). What should you collect? Don't listen to me or anyone else who tells you what is worthwhile. Buy what speaks to you. As thenickelguy, you might be interested in the coins I show here. These are two of the three ancient coin types made of a nickel alloy (25% nickel or so, go figure). They are issued in more than one (3?) denomination for a short time in Bactria. I lack the design with the panther reverse issued by another king (Pantaleon). You may know that nickels do not respond kindly to being buried in some types of soil so you may have a herd time finding a really nice one (better than my 'average' ones let alone 'mint state'). I wish I knew the why and how it happened that nickel made an appearance in coinage in the 2nd century BC and then took a vacation until the 19th AD. 'Experts' know all they want to know about these but amateurs like me consider many of their statements as just guesses. They will attach denomination names and might even suggest how many of these it took to buy some silver coin of that day. It is not like we have a copy of mint records with a copy of the edict where the king demanded nickel in the coins and the people would value them as a certain rate. Exact dates and relationships between the rulers are far from certain. Coin sellers like to pick a theory and look intelligent. Euthydemos II, NI double unit http://coinindia.com/galleries-euthydemos2.html Agathokles, NI unit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agathocles_of_Bactria My coin was sold by CNG in sale 37 in 1996 and (to me) by Frank Robinson in 1998. It will be passed on to someone else when I am dead. Like modern coins, some get traded every day, others come up every now and then. Enjoy the hobby.

There are several Facebook groups of which I am only on two. I realize many people hate Facebook, Wal-Mart, Amazon and anyone that finds a way to make money from their activities. Some of the things I have seen mentioned as faults, I consider benefits. Some days I am in the mood for pile on threads and some days I'm not. YouTube has some good videos but they will let anyone post there. Proof: The promised Roman video has not happened yet. Maybe; maybe not. Coins mean a lot less to me lately but I have several interest other than coins on FB and YT. If I could only use one venue, it would be YouTube (cameras, cooking, photography, etc.). There is a lot of trash on YouTube. There is a good series on coins that I do recommend: https://www.youtube.com/c/ClassicalNumismatics

I apologize for going off random but we have two of the three Early Antioch Philip types so I'm going to show the one that remains and, while I'm at it, select a more scarce version with the PM under the bust rather than at the end of the legend. These come for all three types. There are other Eastern reverses for Philip later in the reign and there is an early Antioch Otacilia but I feel bad enough breaking the rule of the thread for this VIRTVS EXERCITVS coin (with PM under the bust on the obverse):

I prefer to call them litra but should point out that not all 'obols' of this city had matching reverses. I lack the bull head version but am very fond of my incuse barley grain.

I always wanted one of these to go with my similar coin which had the owl added by countermark.

Sorry, my stag is late to the party. If you have trouble remembering this matter, recall that stag parties are X rated.

My 1/3 fraction from Metapontion also fits my technical collection since the reverse is doublestruck making two parallel mid ribs on the barley. There are also some interesting incuse reverses where the reverse is not a match for the obverse. This is a stater of Kroton.

Give Frank a break. There are many worse (most on eBay). Recall a couple years ago he sold his old camera on one of his sales and that got our hopes up. Seriously, a major skill everyone needs to develop is to learn how to 'read' the photos on any site so you can make an educated guess as to what the coin actually will look like.

One more suggestion: Don't buy anything that you do not want. This might seem obvious but too many of us buy coins because someone else told us that we needed to buy that type or that grade or we needed to buy something now and that is all we could find. At least start out a little bit fond of the coins you buy. Sure you will change your mind and decide to resell some or even trade with friends but I really wish I had never bought the coins I bought just because I did not have one or because I drove to the show and did not want to return empty handed. I have coins that I really liked when I bought them nearly 60 years ago and still do but there are others that I regretted before I got home from a show or the package arrived in the mail. If you doubt you want that coin, think about it. My favorite coins took only milliseconds to convince me I wanted them. They spoke my language and said, "Please."