Simonz

Received my four sovereign set
Very, very happy with these in hand - The £5 is going to be amazing when it arrives

Just a couple of nice 1958 Gillicks added to the stack (also the first Gillicks i own).
 
 

A 1918 Sydney Mint Sovereign I picked up the other day.

Having had a few weeks to try out @DrDave's axial lighting box (ALB) I thought I would share the results here in the form of a photo-rich review so you can see what it does, how easy it is to use, and what the results are like.
What is the axial lighting box?
So firstly, the premise is a simple kit to enable you to photograph coins with axial lighting - that means light that is coming from the same direction as you are shooting from, which means no shadows across the coin and all features evenly lit without reflections. Of course this is impossible with a normal camera as you cannot have a light source where the lens is, but this piece of kit uses a sheet of glass to reflect light from the source down onto the coin and you photograph through the glass.
The advantage of this is that you can photograph the coin straight on so the coin appears round, and not cast a shadow with your camera. Your light source is out of the way at right angles.
 
Out of the box
DrDave put together this simple 3D printed kit for this. It consists of the glass-holding unit with a cut out to put the coin in, and a baffle to prevent the light source shining directly onto the coin, the sheet of glass and a translucent diffuser sheet.


The price was £24.99 posted and this unit was not provided for review purposes by DrDave.
First impressions are good. It's a well designed and executed holder made of 2mm thick plastic which seems sturdy. The glass itself has sharp edges and corners so care must be taken. The glass just rests on the holder at 45°.
Useful to know is that the height of the kit from the coin to the top edge of the glass is 12cm. It is possiblbe to get a phone to around 10cm from the coin as it is a bit smaller in width but that leaves no room to rotate, so 12cm to be safe. Also with DSLR lenses etc. you need to factor in the length of these. I believe minimum lens focus distance is measured to the sensor which is at the back of the DSLR body so to achieve macro focus there is a lot in the way. 
 
Set up
The set up is simple. I used my anglepoise desk lamp fitted with a 10W LED bulb and took photos with my Samsung S10 mobile phone on 2x zoom, so no special kit whatsoever. I propped the ALB on a small box so as to put it more in line with the light source. I also used a black book propped up to the right of the ALB to prevent reflections coming off the top of the glass.

 
Results
So on to the results. I photographed a variety of coins to show how they appear under different lighting conditions and show the differences in the results.
Firstly a large shiny coin - a 1oz silver panda. The coin in the capsule fits into the coin opening with a couple of mm to spare all round. The opening will allow coins up to 47mm diameter so perfect for all 1oz coins but too small for e.g. 2oz silver Lunars.
This is photographed without the ALB with the light off to the left

 
Using the ALB without the diffuser results in a strange reflection of the light source.

 
Using the ALB with the diffuser makes the lighting more even and eliminates the strange reflections. 
Comparing with the image taken without, it is a much more "clean" image without the harsh contrast, however, the milking on the coin does not show, nor does the contrast between frosted and mirrored surfaces or the fine texture on the frosted areas. It may be more suited to a "stock" image as it shows off the design effectively and TBH makes the coin look better than it is!

 
Now a 1oz Matte finish coin - ASE
Without the ALB
Note many areas either have overexposed highlights or no definition. Camera is not straight on to the coin so there is a focus gradient

 
With the ALB, no diffuser
Really makes the image pop. Some surfaces are quite dark however.

 
With the diffuser the whole lighting becomes much more even though loses the "pop" of the previous image

 
 
An 1830 polished gold sovereign
WITHOUT the ALB
Lighting to the left. Note how prominently the scratches perpendicular to the light source show.

 
Light source in line with the coin almost overhead. Camera straight on to preserve focus across the coin (well, in theory - I see the right side is pretty soft). 
Note horizontal scratches now show more. Also note uneven lighting with the top half being overexposed in areas and the bottom half a bit dull.

 
This photo with lighting directly reflecting off the coin, so the camera is not straight on, resulting in out of focus areas at the top and bottom of the coin, also a yellow cast caused by the bright reflection making the camera adjust the white balance.

 
With the ALB. No diffuser
Soft focus notwithstanding (my bad), the coin is evenly lit, the surface shows well (although hairline scratches disappear) and focus is flat across the coin as it's taken straight on.

 
With the diffuser, the light is too even and all contrast disappears. The diffuser is not suited for this scenario.

 

Now a Morgan Dollar
Without the ALB
Lighting off to the left in this shot, there are strong highlights and other areas lacking definition.

 
Reflection directly off the coin in attempt to make lighting more even results again in focus gradient.

 
With the ALB (no diffuser)
A much more professional looking photo that shows off the details really well but does disguise some of the scratches on the cheek shown in photos above.
Note the optical illusion that makes the letters appear incuse rather than relief!

 
With the diffuser, there is no contrast and many features vanish.

 
 
A shiny quarter dollar
Without ALB and lighting off to the left shows off the coin well and with it being a small coin focus is fine.

 
With the ALB, some reflections and dust on the glass start to become a nuisance. Glass must be kept clean, and the rest of the room needs to be dark. A large black surface opposite the light source is a must.
However, the coin is shown off at its best here and hairline scratches are hidden.

 
Don't use the diffuser for anything other than proof mirror-fields....

 
 
Last coin, a very small platinum panda
No ALB
Mirror fields go black as they are reflecting the dark room, and contrast nicely with the frosted surfaces.

 
ALB with no diffuser.
This being a graded coin means there is a plastic surface in front of the coin which reflects the light back at you resulting in the ghost image of the light source. No good.

 
With diffuser, we can now see the coin much better although I am missing the mirror/frosted contrast again. No ALB seems to be the best in this scenario.

 
Conclusions: 
I think this is a good product which in the right situations can make a coin look superb, although often at the expense of total disclosure of the condition. You can understand why dealers and auction houses love using it  
It seems to work especially well with bullion or circulation coins with an even matte texture such as the ASE, but also crowns, Morgan dollars and similar.
Proof coins present difficulties but I find just using a dark background and a bit of zoom to get close to "straight on" work best. The ALB removes the frosted/mirrored contrast which in my opinion is a loss.
For smaller coins this kit is not so useful for me using a mobile as I have to use excessive zoom to fill the frame with the coin. With a proper camera with macro/zoom lens this will likely be less of an issue as the minimum focus distance is anyway larger. The closest I can get my phone to the coin is about 9cm which is perfect for 40mm coins but 20mm coin photos will need to be heavily cropped. A smaller format "phone version" with a ~5cm minimum focus distance would be ideal for my use.
If I would make a suggestion to improve the useability of the product it would be to have the glass slot in to a rail like the diffuser. This would prevent cuts on the glass, and make it easier to store it and move it around without the glass falling off. However, it is a good product for using axial lighting for coins and I found it pretty straightforward to use.
 
Thanks for checking out my review. I'd love to know all your thoughts:
Which scenario do you think the ALB really comes into its own?
Which is my best photo in this thread?

Response from Token Publishing;
"Thank you for your e-mail and interest in The Gold Sovereign. 

Whilst a new edition is a couple of years off we will be doing another and are sure that Steve Hill would welcome any amendments. If you could please send a link to the forum, it would be most welcome.

We look forward to hearing from you."

A few nice Sovs for the stack

Todays random mix from the postman including a set of 1972 DM's from @arphethean and a Thoth 2oz from @Panda6Pack
 

I understand how you feel SidS - and Lawrence, too.
Undoubtedly, there's a lot of hocus pocus written about technical analysis and too many people believe that price will behave in a particular way because it exhibits one pattern or another or because a technical indicator says it's overbought or oversold etc. That's almost all bunkum. However, that doesn't mean charts are completely without utility. The trick, IMO, is to keep it super simple and not to read too much into them. Allow me to explain . . .
For the sake of argument, if there was no price history, none of us would have any idea whether the current silver spot price of circa £19.00 is at an all time low, an all time high - or somewhere in between. And that information is useful, because it tells us the extremes beyond which buyers and sellers are not prepared to trade. Very roughly, currently it's in the middle of the two extremes. However, as the chart in the OP clearly highlights, there's an ongoing gentle downtrend, defined by a series of lower highs and lower lows. As long as this pattern is maintained, then one can conclude that the current price - being near the top of the channel - is relatively 'expensive' and, when it's near the bottom of the channel - if it ever gets there - will be relatively 'cheap'. If the pattern is broken, and a new one is formed that comprises a series of higher highs and higher lows, then one can conclude that price is in an uptrend and people can make their buying and selling decisions accordingly.
I accept completely that all of this is in hindsight and that when a new uptrend is created then, with the benefit of hindsight in X weeks/months time, the current price of £19.00 might be regarded as relatively cheap. But we don't know that now; we only know what the chart is telling us today. For me, the information that it's imparting is that silver is relatively expensive and that now is not the time to make bullion purchases. Unless and until the technical picture changes, probability favours better buying opportunities presenting themselves in the future. Needless to say, all of this has to be weighed up against the fundamental picture: what's happening economically, politically and the war in Ukraine etc. Those are the drivers that will cause the technical picture to change. 

Yesterday opened my recent purchase from @BleyerBullion and my first Charlie boy coins, added a couple of 1/10’s to the kids collections as I’d got some credit left over.

Finally got time to unpack my this week's pickups
@theman73 - 2023 Silver Brits 
my first silver stack
 
@Gypsy - 2022 Sovs another 2 added to the collection 
 
@Solachesis - Quality 1958 Gillick Head 

2006 was a random best value from fb group 
 
Thank you once again!

6 sovs

And another directory view, this time with images of all sovs that have passed through my collection.  Lighting differs a bit on some of the older pics

This week from @Orpster.  With a mintage of just 457, this 2018 plain edge is a rare thing, so I put the effort in with a heavily focus-stacked angle shot.

Finally back from work and able to check out my horse of hannover I got from @SiCole (top bloke to deal with) and my lion of england recieved in a trade deal for an oriental brittania and a bottle of 21 year old whisky with a guy at work.
 
 Only 3 to go and I've completed my queens beast 1oz gold bullion collection I started by accident. I need a cheaper hobby!

First effort on this thread a Vicky Shield I recently traded, (crude methods employed) taken with iphone 11 and window sill for lighting,  thought it captured detail quite well 🤷‍♂️

Vivacious Victorias, all together

Haven’t posted in a while. Haven’t been buying much but thought I’d share this. Picked up my 2022 Plain Edged Piedfort Platinum Jubilee Pattern Sovereign from NGC this week. I sent it off for “Plain Edge” to be added to the label to clearly differentiate from the reeded edged version. I always say that we don’t truly appreciate QE2’s reign because we’ve lived through it but she will be revered in years to come and this is an amazing representation of her achievements. With only 70 minted, I’m super chuffed to own one of these as there are so few. This will be locked away together with the 2oz Completer (probably my favourite ever coin design) and 1oz 2014 Britannia 🤤. Massive shout out to @Clockpuncher for this one

Todays arrivals including a shield from @RiverbankSilver and some more Young Heads for my date run

1oz Gold 2023 King Charles III Britannia. No QC issues that I can see.

Todays arrivals, pair of 1864 shields


 

One of my bullion sovereigns I got from Chards not the best light and I’ve not done  any conservation work yet……..buts she’s a beauty!  Got a few more but will show them once they are conserved! 

I agree, I picked all three of these up this month, the 1918i is particularly nice  :


 

As I liked the piedfort versions design, but not it's chunkiness, I decided to get the standard weight sovereign. 2019 proof Australian sovereign, commemorating 200 years since Victoria's birth. Huge thanks to @1stsovereign 
Leprosy Queenie is a registered trademark of the Perth Mint proofs, but It is only really prominent in the macro camera shots 

Picked this '57 up in town today for a good price so I can't complain about the scratch or slight ding on the back. Just like buying a secondhand car. 

Todays deliveries, 1915S from @1stsovereign and a 1873S from @Sh97if