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Simonz

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  1. Like
    Simonz got a reaction from Aldebaran in Coin cabinet wood type for gold?   
    Fabulous and useful info, thanks so much!
  2. Like
    Simonz got a reaction from Aldebaran in Coin cabinet wood type for gold?   
    Good to know, thanks so much Alun.
  3. Like
    Simonz reacted to jamesGoddard in Coin cabinet wood type for gold?   
    With .999 gold, you can do what you like with it just don't make the mistake of putting gold in an Oak case that is kept in your (unvented) safe with vulnerable items for the long term, this includes silver paper and card.  916 is a little more vulnerable but there would need to be a significant issue to release enough gas to effect such a tiny amount of copper
    Having worked in product design and manufacturing for 25 years, I can assure you that outgassing is real. I can also assure you that it is vastly overstated in many cases. Green timbers i.e undried will out gas and ruin silver extremely quickly but I'm yet to meet a furniture maker/cabinet maker working with unseasoned timber. Out of the kiln, timber is circa 10% moisture it is much more likely to draw in air and moisture to equalise with the atmosphere than expel anything. In addition, your coin is in an unvented capsule which will not encourage air to flow into it so compounds must try and pass through it which some can however, that would only occur if the gas had nowhere else to go, like water, it will always take the easiest route.
    Personally, I'm much more worried about cheap plastic and an unstable environment. If the humidity in your room varies wildly so will the moisture content in the wood and that gives any chemical compounds an easy ride out of there as it breathes. Poor ventilation will compound that even further. High temperatures and direct sunlight are also no-nos because they tend to excite and expand things.
    Buy your box of choice place it in the storage location, opened, for a minimum of 48 hours before placing coins and keep your environment stable. A good rule of thumb (but by no means foolproof) is to use your nose. if you can smell the wood without working it, forget it, no matter what the wood is. Beech at the extreme can appear perfectly dry with almost no taint, it's pretty, quite tough, and cheap, PERFECT for boxes but then you pair the board down and hit a vein of pure sap which is full of sugars, terpenes, tannins, and a bunch of other stuff. 
    I don't see the problem with an oak holder that is cared for properly and placed adequately. A closed box is a bit more dangerous for obvious reasons but you could line it with other woods in particular the stuff used in humidors. I forget the name, but it's renowned for controlling internal atmospheres.
  4. Like
    Simonz reacted to Charliemouse in Today I Received.....   
    2014 'Unfinished proof' / 'mule' / Half proof Half bullion Sovereign
    Thought I'd try something different, to show off the two sides

    Untitled video - Made with Clipchamp (4).mp4   Of course every spec of dust and dirt is visible.  Anyway, an unusual coin from @andrewse
     
  5. Like
    Simonz got a reaction from dicker in Coin cabinet wood type for gold?   
    Good to know, thanks so much Alun.
  6. Like
    Simonz reacted to dicker in Coin cabinet wood type for gold?   
    Super question!  I’m afraid I cannot help but I suspect any aged wood would be stable?
    .999 Gold should be fine with any wood, lower (Sovs) may be more vulnerable - but I don’t know.
    Michael Marsh was a cabinet maker, and I have seen a couple chairs at auction made by Marsh and one coin cabinet.  I’m sorry I didn’t see the wood it was made from. 
  7. Like
    Simonz reacted to Alun in Coin cabinet wood type for gold?   
    All wood releases gas which can cause silver to tarnish over time but not really an issue for gold so much. Woods such as walnut, Mahogany and cherry are considered to be much better and much more inert than some others. Oak should be avoided at all costs as it will tone silver coins quicker than anything else. 
    I tend to use Ash for my general boxs and Walnut for my more premium stuff.
    Personally I think capsules further reduce the process anyway to the point its barely an issue
     
    Alun
  8. Like
    Simonz got a reaction from stefffana in Coin cabinet wood type for gold?   
    Thanks Dicker, you'd have to assume that because gold is so un-reactive it wouldn't matter. You raise a good point about sovs though, copper spots seem to be the only issue with them, and they occur regardless of storage situation?
  9. Like
    Simonz reacted to BackyardBullion in Today I Received.....   
    5 coin coronation set!
     





  10. Like
    Simonz reacted to richatthecroft in Sovereigns- Eighteen reasons to get excited by them. Over 200 years of history right here...   
    Eighteen reasons to get excited about Sovereigns.
    I received a lovely 1863 Victoria Sovereign today and this one concluded my 'Change of Portrait' Type Set from 1817 to present day 😅  The type set includes all the Portrait changes for each Monarch.  I have attempted to acquire the inaugural year date for each Portrait change. 
    All the 19th Century examples are Sovereigns and where practicable, all of the 20th & 21st Century Sovereigns are Proof examples.  
    Over time I will likely try and seek out a nicer example of the 1825 George IV; replace the 1836 William IV with the inaugural year of 1831; attempt to do the same by replacing the 1863 Victoria with a nice 1838 example and for Elizabeth II, replace the 1987 Maklouf Portrait with the inaugural 1985 year date.  
    In the meantime, for those who appreciate them, enjoy the Sovereigns 😀
     

    Benedetto Pistrucci 

    Benedetto Pistrucci 

    William Wyon

    William Wyon

    William Wyon 

    Joseph Egar Boehm 

    Thomas Brock

    George William de Saulles

    Bertram Mackennal

    Humphrey Paget

    Mary Gillick 

    Arnold Machin

    Arnold Machin

    Raphel Maklouf

    Bernard Sindall

    Ian Rank- Broadley

    Jody Clark 

    James Butler
  11. Like
    Simonz got a reaction from modofantasma in Sovereign Photo Thread...   
    So I've made a DIY axial lighting set up and just purchased a macro lens and LED light. Surprised how a small change of light position makes a big difference to results, see attached comparison. 1 is too flat, 3 shows lots of modelling depth. I realise this is quite subjective but I think 3 is the clear winner, what do you think?

  12. Like
    Simonz reacted to GreatCoins4U in Today I Received.....   
    I don't know if I missed it, or if nobody else mentioned it yet, but your coin is truly stunning... 🤑
  13. Like
    Simonz reacted to Charliemouse in Sovereign Photo Thread...   
    Photographing slabbed coins definitely has its own set of challenges.  Lower contrast, internal and external reflections.  Even cloning out the holder, if you are really keen.
    Lighting is critical.  I expect I will write up a tutorial, once I've worked it out myself.

  14. Like
    Simonz reacted to Charliemouse in Sovereign Photo Thread...   
    '1925' Sovereign.
    In the late 40's, when Britain needed money after WW2, they decided to make some more sovereigns.  But since they wanted to save as much money as possible, they just reissued the 1925 design.  So this is technically a restrike.
    It's difficult to tell the difference between the 3+ million original 1925 coins and the 880,000 restrikes, but apparently the restrikes have a more defined and raised ridge.  This one definitely does, and the reeding is nearly perfect.  So either I have a really good example of an original 1925, or a pretty good example of a restrike.


  15. Like
    Simonz got a reaction from Zhorro in Today I Received.....   
    Old and new, which do you prefer?
    A lot of the newer sovs seem to be very low relief?

  16. Like
    Simonz got a reaction from Zhorro in Today I Received.....   
    2017 Sov finally arrived, just in time to test my new macro lens.

  17. Like
    Simonz got a reaction from modofantasma in 1887 Sovereign oversize diameter?   
    Closest I have is an 1887 Melbourne second legend DISH.M8. Pearls are similar, dots in neck , tail and dragon all look similar too. Weight is 7.99g diameter varied from 22.119 to 22.037 (don't usually use the micrometer but my son has 'borrowed' my calipers!).



  18. Like
    Simonz reacted to Charliemouse in Review of my gear   
    I thought it would be useful to review my photography gear, discuss why I chose it and how I use it to photograph coins.
    For each component, I also give some disadvantages and suggest cheaper alternatives.
    Camera body: Nikon D850
    This is the centre and workhorse of the entire set-up.  I use this camera for all my photographic needs.  It’s a little out of date these days, being a few years old.  Nikon released it as the peak digital SLR before the incoming tide of mirrorless cameras completely dominated the market.
    It has about 45 million pixels (plenty), designed specifically for landscape, portrait and fashion photography, or anything requiring precision.  It sacrifices response times and frame rates for this resolution, although for normal purposes you would never tell.  Nikon do lower-res / higher frame rate cameras specifically for things like professional sports and wildlife photography.
    Another feature useful for macro photography is an electronic shutter.  When you are photographing small objects, it is important to have everything locked down and still.  The slightest movement will ruin the photograph. Even the shutter moving inside the camera can cause a shift of a few pixels, blurring the image.  An electronic shutter, although slower than a conventional one, avoids such movement.
    Automatic focus stacking is a way to program the camera to take multiple shots, varying the focus position slightly each time.  It is useful for photographing objects with depth, e.g. coins angled away, bars, or even some very high relief coins.
    Cons:  It’s certainly big and chunky, as professional DSLRs tend to be.  It isn’t cheap.  Frame rate could be faster.  It doesn’t have eye-detect auto-focus.  None of which affect macro photography.
    Cheaper alternative: Any modern full frame or APC mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Choose the one that matches the lens you want, not the other way around.
    Lens: Sigma 150mm Macro
    An amazingly sharp lens, with a true 1:1 reproduction ratio.  It has an excellent diaphragm for producing smooth out-of-focus backgrounds (bokeh).
    It is unnecessarily long for coin photography.  A focal length of 60 to 80mm would be fine for coins, since you don’t need to worry about scaring your subject away.  I originally bought the 150mm so that I could take pictures of insects out in the wild, without needing to get too close.  However, it does mean my working distance is over 1 foot away, which makes using the camera on a desk, with lighting, tripods, etc. quite cumbersome.
    Cons: Doesn’t interface perfectly with the camera, so certain auto-focus features, especially when tethering don’t work.  No vibration reduction.  Big and heavy.
    Cheaper alternative: See my guide to choosing a macro lens.
    Tripod: SLIK 700DX
    This is big, strong and heavy.  Made of aluminium, I would not recommend this for general photography, just because it is so big and heavy.  However, for macro work and astrophotography (another hobby), it is great because it keeps things very still and, generally, portability isn’t a huge issue.  It can be adjusted to a very wide leg angle, to get really low for macro work, and provide a solid platform.
    Cons: Big and heavy.  Probably not practical for tabletop use.
    Cheaper alternative: Any all-metal tripod.  Look for an established brand.  Tripods are the classic “buy cheap, buy twice” gear.  Cheap tripods have the features, but when you use them for real, you soon realise they have weaknesses such as loose joints and locks, stripped threads, etc.
    The gold standard in tripods these days is carbon fibre, because it is so stiff, strong and yet light.  But actually a metal tripod is probably more useful for macro, because the mass is useful for damping vibration, and you generally aren’t carrying it around.  Plus, carbon is a whole lot more expensive.
    Tripod head: Manfrotto Geared Tripod Head
    Again, a large, heavy component built for stability.  This allows very small, precise adjustment of all three axes.  No need to unlock, move and relock, this saves an enormous amount of time and fiddling.
    Cons: Some of the adjustment could be finer.
    Cheaper alternative: A metal ball head.  The tripod may come with one, and if you followed my advice and bought good quality, the ball head should be good enough.
    Be aware that tripods and heads will have a recommended weight capacity, and a camera with lens may be heavier than you think.  A tripod for a phone is not going to work for a camera.
    Macro rail: Neewer Pro 4-Way Macro Focusing Rail
    Something you may not even know exists, let alone consider buying.  This is for when you have everything in place, but you need to move the camera a little left and right, or forwards and backwards towards and away from the subject.  Moving the whole tripod is impractical, and would be very fiddly with such small distances involved.  This allows me to make tiny adjustments to the framing of the shot.
    Also, sometimes it makes sense to move the camera slightly forwards or backwards, rather than refocus the lens.
    Cons: Adds to the overall size and weight of the setup.
    Cheaper alternative: Don’t use one.  It’s certainly more awkward and less flexible without one, but it’s definitely something to add later if you do a lot of macro shots.
    Remote: Aodelan radio remote trigger
    As I say above, the slightest movement when taking macro shots is disastrous.  A remote trigger, enabling you to trigger the shutter, is an essential for the sharpest images.  I use a radio trigger, as I can use it at a much larger range for other purposes.
    Cons: Takes up space on the camera hotshoe, and needs to be removed before using the viewfinder (which you don’t need for macro).
    Cheaper alternative: Any trigger, radio, bluetooth or IR, that works with your camera, is good enough for macro work.
    Lighting: Various
    Forget flashes.  You don’t need anything so bright when you are using a tripod, because the subject isn’t moving.  But you don’t want it too dark though, otherwise you start to get image noise.  Your best option is LED panel lights, often called video monitor lights, that let you set the colour temperature.
    I use a IVISII G2 Pocket RGB Video Light as my main light above the camera.  It has a very good brightness range, and can set the colour temperature to pretty much anything.  I cover it in diffusion paper, to soften the light even more, and spread it even wider, so it becomes very ambient.
    I have a couple of smaller and cheaper ULANZI VL81 lights without diffusion, to improve the highlights and deal with any shadowing from the main light.
    Lume Cube 2.0.  Beautifully built and rugged.  Very accurate 5600K light, with lots of options for different effects.  I use it to give a more direct light to emphasise highlights, but it is a quality bit of kit for all sorts of uses.
    Monitor lights usually have a hotshoe mount to attach to the top of the camera, and a tripod mount.  I’d recommend using a cheap desk tripod for a few quid, to allow you to position and angle them anywhere.  I use Zeadio Metal Mini Tripod + Ball Head because they can get very low, aren’t too big, and have ball heads to angle the light.
    I shoot everything inside a Neewer Photo Studio RGB Light Box.  This means I can precisely control any reflections and ambient light from the room, to prevent mixing colour temperatures and avoid random reflections from objects or lights in the room.
    I set the colour temperature on all 3 lights to the same kelvins, and then use this for a reference value in post processing.  See my guide on Photographing gold so that it looks like gold, for a description of colour temperature / white balance.
    Cheaper alternative: A window, although you would need to ensure the white balance was correct with every shot.  And definitely try not to mix artificial and natural light, or you will waste a lot of time in post processing trying to fix the colour.  Frankly, if you can buy something like the ULANZI lights for £20ish, you can’t go wrong.
     
  19. Like
    Simonz got a reaction from Ducat916 in Today I Received.....   
    Old and new, which do you prefer?
    A lot of the newer sovs seem to be very low relief?

  20. Like
    Simonz got a reaction from Ducat916 in Today I Received.....   
    2017 Sov finally arrived, just in time to test my new macro lens.

  21. Super LOVE
    Simonz got a reaction from GreatCoins4U in Today I Received.....   
    Old and new, which do you prefer?
    A lot of the newer sovs seem to be very low relief?

  22. Like
    Simonz got a reaction from Oddjob in Today I Received.....   
    Old and new, which do you prefer?
    A lot of the newer sovs seem to be very low relief?

  23. Like
    Simonz got a reaction from Oddjob in Today I Received.....   
    2017 Sov finally arrived, just in time to test my new macro lens.

  24. Like
    Simonz reacted to Darr3nG in Today I Received.....   
    My replacement 2oz Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2022 Proof just arrived and it's an absolute belter!

  25. Like
    Simonz reacted to James32 in Today I Received.....   
    Big thanks to @Fenlander1 @BackyardBullion @SilverSells @AgD @shawy2510 for today's arrival's 



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