Ancient Coin Cleaning And Restoration

Zapping A "Concrete Crusty" Coin

2008-05-02T20:59:00.003-05:00

Hannah, one of our CoinZapper members, asked if I would make an effort to clean the coin you see pictured above. I agreed and as soon as I saw the coin I realized it had a terribly hard crust. There is no way to recover this kind of coin and maintain any imagery without zapping.

Please look at the bottom two images and you will see the condition of the coin upon arrival. I tested the crust and I rarely find coin with crusts as hard as was on Hanna’s coin. I zapped the coin most of the afternoon using my large zapper and my now well-known Bamboo Tools to help prod the crust loose.

From experience I knew the coin would most likely have pitting and as you can see it does. However, the beauty of the obverse especially strikes me. The coin reminds me of a piece of renaissance art. I am reminded of a piece from a frieze that has been exposed to the elements for an extended period of time. I love the character of the coin and I hope Hannah enjoys it. I am particularly open to critiques of my photographs. I enjoy receiving constructive criticism.

I would prefer the cleaned coin images had less of a brassy look but that is the result of having to leave the coin in the zapper for an extended period of time. If you enjoy my blog, please bookmark. God Bless.. Jerry..

Lighting Problems Solved?

2008-04-15T14:00:00.004-05:00

I am very excited about the results of my lighting research and the results I am getting! I have spent months trying to get rid of "noise" and other problems I have had with my coin photography. I have experimented endlessly. I knew most of the problems I was getting was from the bright spots on the coins. Answer? Return to the basics. I knew I needed diffused lighting and I knew the lack of lay at the source of my problem.

I picked up a piece of frosted Plexiglas a few months ago and I had bought a couple of 5 and 1/2" clamp on work lights from Home Depot or Lowe's and I had these on hand. I had enough bulbs including the fluorescent spirals I had been using. I had experimented with all kind of bulbs. I cut the Plexiglas to the size you see in the photograph above and secured it to the face of the "cans" with large rubber bands. I plan to drill small holes through the can and secure the Plexiglas using a 1/8" stove bolts and wing nuts.

Part of the beauty of what I have done is in the portability of the unit(s). I can hold one unit in place by hand and light from any direction I like. I can clamp the light, one or two onto the shelf you see in the picture or I can clamp one or more lights onto the two vertical posts I made. I can also place the unit on the work surface and use the spring clamp to elevate and shoot across the coin's surface.

I cannot believe how easily I can hold one unit in hand and snap my shutter with the other and not have to worry about the bright spots. I can hold one unit at the angle I want and clamp the other unit in place for a fill light. Please observe the Plexiglas is tightly in place against the light can. I left the lights on for an extended period of time and the fluorescent hardly warmed the Plexiglas. CAUTION: ANY other bulb would present a heat problem.

The bulbs I am using are 13 watt spiral fluorecents. I used my wife's little Nikon 46oo to photograph the setup so the photographs are not the best. Suddenly my Fuji s5000 is much more camera than I ever thought as a result of my new lighting system. I have a friend who wants us to make these to sell. I have not done any research and I have no idea if this has been done before. Regardless, this is all new technology to me. You have the right to make units for your use. This setup works so well that I may let him look into "manufacturing".. Someone may write and say this was done eons ago but if it was I am amazed that I did not know about it.

Please click on the URL's below so you can understand what is going on. The Plexiglas is 1/8" inch thick. I think that is about 3mm. I hope you have questions and I hope you will ask them. I am sure this is terribly written but I am trying to get the information to all. I satisfied my questions well after midnight and I am a bit tired. I will state, without equivocation, that you will like the results of your efforts if you assemble one or more of the units. I cannot believe how wonderfully the unit(s) work. Also remember that you can use a more powerful bulb and a larger can if you like. Please send me feedback. Thank you for reading and God Bless.. Jerry..

More photos:

http://tinyurl.com/6x74d2

http://tinyurl.com/4ao6mu

http://tinyurl.com/6jk7zq

The following is a mirro finished siver coins I was unable to photgraph becase of the shiny fininsh until I used Jerry's Photo Can: http://tinyurl.com/58bepy

Adobe: New And Free Photo Program

2008-04-01T14:24:00.005-05:00

The following article has been released by Adobe Systems. I think many of our members will enjoy the latest beta version. I will appreciate feedback. God Bless.. Jerry..

Free Online Software Brings Photoshop Technology to Anyone Taking Digital Photos
SAN JOSE, Calif. — March 27 , 2008 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced Adobe® Photoshop® Express public beta, a free Rich Internet Application (RIA) available to anyone who wants to store, sort and show off digital photos with eye-catching effects. During the public beta period, Adobe will solicit Photoshop Express user feedback on product features and functionality, which will continue to evolve over time. As the newest addition to the Photoshop family line, Photoshop Express has taken much of Adobe’s best image editing technology and made it simple and accessible to a new online audience. Photoshop Express allows users to store up to 2 gigabytes of images online for free, make edits to their photos, and share them online in creative ways, including downloading and uploading photos from popular social networking sites like Facebook.

“Photoshop is trusted technology that has changed the visual landscape of our world. Now, Photoshop Express allows anyone who snaps a digital photo to easily achieve the high-impact results for which Adobe is known,” said Doug Mack, vice president of Consumer and Hosted Solutions at Adobe. “Photoshop Express is a convenient, single destination where you can store, edit and share photos whether you’re at home, school or on the road.”

Simple, Fun and Accessible
With Photoshop Express, digital photos can be uploaded and sorted anytime, edited non-destructively to always preserve the original image, and shared from anywhere, on any Web browser. In a few easy clicks, Photoshop Express empowers anyone to make standard edits, such as removing blemishes and red-eye, converting to black and white, cropping and resizing, and much more.

No experience is required to add special effects that will impress friends and family. In keeping with its one-click approach, Photoshop Express offers tricks like Pop Color which selects an object in an image, mutes the background color of the photo and allows the user to swap the object’s color so it jumps off the page. Sketch effects help photos look like drawings and the Distort feature allows you to distort facial features or objects within the images for a comical or artistic effect. Even users with limited photo editing knowledge can simply select what looks best from a line-up of sample photos with visual hints showing different variations of the added effect.
Photoshop Express offers a variety of creative sharing options, including uploading and showing off photos and slideshows in your own online “Gallery” hosted by Adobe, or conveniently embedding or linking photos to social networking sites and personal blogs without having to leave the application. Slideshows never looked better with animation that makes photos float and fly across the screen, allowing for viewer interactivity and unique presentation styles.

Adobe Photoshop Family
Adobe Photoshop CS3 and Photoshop CS3 Extended are at the heart of the Photoshop family, joined by solutions for users at every level who want to bring out the best in their digital images. Photoshop Lightroom™ addresses the workflow needs of professional and serious amateur photographers. Photoshop Elements provides exciting tools and sharing options for photo hobbyists.

Photoshop Express is the latest step Adobe is taking to leverage the advanced technology that underpins its award-winning creative products and deliver it to new online communities. In early 2007, Adobe also announced the availability of Adobe® Premiere® Express, an online video editing and mash-up tool on partner sites such as MTV and Photobucket. Adobe Premiere Express leverages the functionality found in Premiere Elements, a fully-featured desktop video editing program.

Free and Available Now
Adobe Photoshop Express beta is available now for free via any Web browser at http://www.photoshop.com/express . Photoshop Express was created with Flex, Adobe’s free, open source framework for building RIAs. Flex applications provide a consistent, rich user experience across operating systems and all major browsers, including Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari and others. An Internet connection and an up-to-date Flash® Player 9 are all that are required to experience Adobe Photoshop Express. In its early phases, Photoshop Express is available to US residents-only in English. Users may experience slow performance if accessed outside of the US. Future plans include availability in other languages and countries.

About Adobe Systems Incorporated
Adobe revolutionizes how the world engages with ideas and information - anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information, visit http://www.adobe.com/ .

Nice Photo Trick For Coin Photographers

2008-03-25T18:03:00.002-05:00

I have a really tough time shooting shiny coins and I will share a tip with you I learned a long time ago that helps. There is a very cheap hair spray (I assume it is still around) called AquaNet. I probably bought AquaNet because it was very cheap! Other brands of hairspray may work just as well. Regardless, mist your shiny coin with the hairspray until the surface of the coin turns "flat." Flat, means there is no reflective quality.

Once the coin is photographed then it is a very easy chore to wash the hair spray from the coin's surface with water. I don't think the hairspray would harm the wax on the surface of a waxed coin. The next time you encounter a coin that is giving you a great deal of reflection then please try and let us know how this trick works for you.. God Bless.. Jerry..

Coin Photographers: Don't Break Your Bulbs!

2008-03-21T16:10:00.003-05:00

I recently saw or read that a family member broke a fluorescent bulb in their house and the cost of calling in a hazardous cleanup crew to get rid of the mercury contaminant was $2000. I know many of you use the fluoresents as a light source for your coin photography as I often do, but I had no idea the potential contamination was considered to be so serious.

As I began to search for the degree of potential danger I encountered the following article: http://tinyurl.com/yr5gjb What do you think or know? Here is another article I think you should read: http://tinyurl.com/2skf86 I am sure there are already millions of the bulbs in use and we will probably hear much more about the potential hazards. I hope we have a few Bulb Gurus who can , forgive me. enlighten us! Thanks for reading and God Bless.. Jerry..

Why Do I Continue To Get Photo "Noise"

2008-03-09T17:49:00.003-05:00

If I understand the digital photography term "noise" properly, I think this is one of my coin photography problems. I have noticed that when photographing my very dark and very light coins I get a visually garbled appearance. One solution I have tried with some degree of success is to soften the light by using layers of cotton material placed over my light(s). I would love to get feedback from all about this problem. If you have the same problem or if you have a solution, please share with me/us.

I use the Fuji S5000 to shoot my coins and I think I get some really good results with the exception of the situation I just mentioned. Fuji has just released a new point and shoot model that may possibly be the solution to my problem. The camera is the Fuji FinePix F100fd. The blurb I read spoke of digital cameras that blur a scenes brightest colors. Of course I am sure they are speaking of white and black as colors too.

Fuji's new P&S extracts more digital information from brights and darks and provides a wider range of values. The concept sounds great and I am excited that this may be new technology for all digital cameras. I think the camera is a bit on the pricey side at $380 at: fujifilm.com I am sure the prices will fall rather rapidly as most new digital cameras do. I am really excited about the new technology but that is as much as I know.

I am not in a position to know anymore than I am reporting at this point. I will try to call Fuji and see what else I can learn. Under no circumstances am I recommending the camera. If someone does purchase the camera or has purchased the camera , please share with us. I would also love for you to join our new CoinPhotography group and share with us. Of course you may be a complete newbie and that is fine too. Our URL is as follows: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CoinPhotography You have a standing invitation to join us. Thank you for reading and I look forward to your feedback.. God Bless.. Jerry..

Can You Name And Date The Coin?

2008-03-02T20:47:00.004-06:00

I have cleaned a nice silver coin and I would like for you to give me a date the coin was struck please and I want to see if you can name the emperor. Thank you for looking. Please bookmark my blog. God Bless.. Jerry..

Please Join Our Coin Photography Discussion Group

2008-02-27T15:50:00.003-06:00

We have a great little group going at CoinPhotography and we have attracted several knowledgeable coin photographers. Currently we have a great discussion going about using polarizing filters to aid us in photographing "slabs." I know there are sites where coin photography is taught but we are the only Yahoo CoinPhotography discussion group I know of.

Several of our coin members have shown us great photos they have made using their point and shoot cameras. We cover the entire spectrum of talent. Please consider joining us and please consider sharing with us. I need all the help I can get with my Coin Photography. Come on and break down and get on board. We really need your expertise and there are many of us who need to enhance our coin photo skills. I bet you will enjoy yourselves and I bet you will learn a lot!

We are open forum and all are invited to join. Please consider joining us and reading the posts. We have at least three members who use the DSLR's but I know many are the same and I am! On a budget! I have seen the results of some wonderful coin photos made with sub $200 cameras. The URL is as follows: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CoinPhotography Thank you and I look forward to seeing you on CP! God Bless.. Jerry..

Two Artists, Past And Present, Meet

2008-02-26T13:23:00.002-06:00

I finished cleaning several coins last night and I was struck by the beauty of the stag on one particular coin. The coin was in very bad condition and I decided to work on the stag and add an element of my own. I used and older version of PS to help provide definition to the animal. I added an eye and "erased" some of the pitted areas on the legs and body. I gave greater definition to the head and removed all reference to what was a coin form and partial legend.

I wanted an element that was uniquely mine so I added a small pile of rocks and a bush. I enjoyed the exercise very much and hope you appreciate.. God Bless.. Jerry..

Princeton Ancient Coins: Fascinating Article

2008-02-25T14:45:00.002-06:00

I stumbled across the following article about Princeton's ancient coin collection and found it to be fascinating. I give full credit for the article to the Associated Press and to the writer, Chris Newmarker. I hope you enjoy as much I did.

Princeton coins are gateway to history
CHRIS NEWMARKER
Associated Press
PRINCETON, N.J. - Alan Stahl has a lot of change on his hands - and not the kind you can cash in at any bank. The curator of Princeton University's numismatic collection is in charge of protecting and displaying tens of thousands of coins, tokens, medals, and pieces of paper money.
"The funny thing is, I've never owned a personal coin collection," said Stahl, 60.
The 150-year-old collection started as an assemblage of plaster casts of ancient Greek and Roman coins. Stahl estimates it now contains about 80,000 items.
New acquisitions in the past year have made the collection even more diverse: a donation of 2,000 ancient Chinese coins, and the purchase of more than 800 medieval Greek coins, bought for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
About a dozen university students each spend a few hours a week cataloging the coins. So far, the collection's online system has more than 3,000 coins listed, about 1,000 coins entered in each year.
"At this rate, we'll be done in 50 years," Stahl said.
For the students, cataloging the coins is an education in itself. As a junior majoring in classics, 21-year-old Joe Codega has read a great deal about the ancient Romans.
But he felt a greater connection with the subject he loves last week as he held a brass coin with the image of the big-chinned Roman Emperor Nero on the front. The back showed Rome's temple of Janus with its doors closed - a symbol that the empire was at peace.
"It's neat to be able to hold something that an ancient person held," Codega said.
Some of the collection's coins are on display at Princeton's Firestone Library, where the collection is housed.
Any member of the public can also ask to see a tray with some coins, though Stahl will keep close watch to make sure coins don't go missing. Stahl still cringes when he recalls a theft at the American Numismatic Society when he was there in the late 1980s.
"I'm pleased to say I wasn't the person handing him the trays," Stahl said.
Half of the collection, about 30,000 coins, comes from Princeton University archaeological work in Antioch, in what is now Turkey, during the late 1930s.
The dig turned up a trove of ancient Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Islamic coins. Stahl still handles envelopes with the handwriting of the lead archeologist's wife, who catalogued the money.
"Sometimes I can see where she scraped just a little to bring up a mark for identification. We wouldn't do that today, but I can see her rationale. I do feel a certain kinship to her," Stahl said.
The collection includes Byzantine coins that are bent, almost in cup shapes. Some of the ancient Chinese coins are shaped like knives and keys.
But for the most part, the coins are round and flat - a feature Stahl guesses might be due to functionality.
"The knife coins would sure punch a hole in your pocket or purse. I guess a square coin would be bad," Stahl said.
Stahl first became interested in coins in the early 1970s while studying for his doctoral degree in medieval history at the University of Pennsylvania.
Kingdoms and empires, Stahl said, usually have rulers on the front of their coins, though the Byzantine Empire also used Jesus. Republics in history have avoided living people, and instead concentrated on symbols of what is valued by the state.
Particularly in the past, most average people didn't see their country's capital and its public buildings, or the nation's important documents. But they did see coins.
"Virtually every person is exposed to the coinage of that country," Stahl said.

Again, I hope you enjoyed the article. Thank you for reading and God Bless.. Jerry..

A Broken Licenius: Found Art

2008-02-16T20:54:00.003-06:00

How little we see! The old adage, “Many people look but few people see is so appropriate with this old and broken Licinius. The coin had lain around my coin cleaning area for months until I noticed the coin for the first time today. I should rephrase and state that I really “saw” the coin for the first time today.

I was struck by the gentle and very feminine contraposto of the figure on the reverse. What a wonderful work of art. What a lovely piece of sculpture, rendered by an unknown artist hundreds of years ago. How easily we relate to the female figure and we immediately feel a kindred spirit with that ancient artist.

Intuitively he/she knew the drapery on her arm was repeated in the curvilinear position of her body. That was not taught then and it is not taught now. One either feels the presence of the repetition of figurative line or one does not. Art is not taught art is our Spirit and transcends the ego. We can only experience.

Many years ago nature intervened and we can only guess at why the coin is broken. It really doesn’t matter. The same curvilinear quality we see in the figure has been repeated in the broken edges of the coin and nature adds a new dimension to the rhythm of the line! All the visual the elements come together and we have a wonderful piece of sculpture and art.

In stark contrast, the obverse provides us with the rectilinear head of Licinius. Bold and not so gentle. We are aware of a strong and dominant personality. We see the countenance of a warrior. His portrait is counter to the poise of the youthful, beautiful and gentle female we see on the reverse.

I am very pleased I wiped this coin clean and I am very happy to have it in my possession. I can enjoy the aesthetic moment until I tire of the coin and then I will pass it on to someone else but only if they enjoy the “Found Quality”.. Thank you and God Bless.. Jerry..

Black And Decker Rotary Versus The Dremel

2008-02-16T17:03:00.003-06:00

Many members in my groups have asked me about a rotary tool. I am sharing the following with the expectation readers will save money and get more for their money. As an ancient coin enthusiast, artist and a sometime handyman, I have concluded the Black and Decker RTX-B I purchased several months ago is heads and tails above the Dremel units in terms of price, performance and power.

The B&D RTX is a 120 volt 2 amp unit with three speeds. The speeds are: 12,000/24,000 and 30,000 RPM. The unit uses all the tool accessories made for Dremel and has a flip lock system for securing the collet while changing accessories. I love this little feature. The B&D unit fits the hand really well and is very comfortable to work with. I can easily hold the unit as I would a pencil, a pocket knife or if I need real leverage I can hold it like a baseball bat.

I own four rotary units and the other three are Dremels. The oldest Dremel is about 35 years old and I can't complain about it. It is powerful and has never given me one moments trouble. I have all the power I need with the older Dremel as with the new B&D unit. I have had the Black and Decker for close to a year and I really like the power it gives me for the money.

I paid under 30 dollars for the unit at WalMart and would buy another.

Then RTX-B comes with a drum sander only. However, there are kits that cost much more and with many more accessories. I think I will rank this one as I would a coin and give it a VF+. Please do yourself a favor and buy the unit I have described. You will thank me. I would love to get feedback from you if you do purchase the B&D. Thank you and God Bless.. Jerry..

New Coin Photography Group Created

2008-02-15T01:29:00.002-06:00

I recently created a new Yahoo group called "CoinPhotography". I have been developing my coin photography skills for at least a couple of years now and still have some distance to go. I think digital coin photography is still in its infancy and I know I need lots of work in this area.

We now have 40 members with 19 members joining during the past week. I welcome each of you to join us. I think this is going to be a great group and I feel really good about things. I know the need is there. Just go through the ancient coins on EBay and take a look at the photos. Most are very weak, indeed, with some exceptions. I am no Ansel Adams but I do know design.

If you are weak as I am please come and learn and if you have good photo skills please join and share with us. One thing for sure, you will be welcomed regardless to skill level. Thank you for reading and I look forward to seeing yo at CP. The URL is as follows: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CoinPhotography God Bless.. Jerry..

Reverses: I Find Them Very Interesting

2008-02-11T23:02:00.000-06:00

I was zapping coins this evening and encountered three reverses in pristine condition. I find coin reverses to be vastly more interesting than obverses. The Obverses on the three coins are equal in clarity. The coin in the center is of particular interest to me visually. There is an "emblem" in the exergue I am not familiar with and I hope someone will share with me what the image is.

Please look to the right of the "DSIS" and you will see what looks like a childlike drawing of a sunrise. Someone will probably tell me this is a very common item on Roman reverses. I am intrigued though. I am a coin cleaner and not an attribitor as most of you know. However, I feel I am getting better. At age 68 I am getting a late start but I am excited about learning.

Look at the Victory left (middle coin) and you will see remarkable detail. In hand I can see muscalature on the neck as well as curls in the hair. I can see each feather, clearly, in the wings. The line beneath the bust is very clear along with the wrinkles in the neckline of what I will call the dress.

Let's toss in a bit of trivia. Who can tell me what is on the obverse? I need for you to tell me what the person is wearing. It should be very easy to describe. A very cheap way to have my coin attributed! Thanks for looking and God Bless.. Jerry..

Electrolysis: The Kindest Method For Cleaning Crusties?

2008-02-11T11:30:00.000-06:00

Please take a look at the accompanying photograph of the Antigonus Gonatus (277-239 BC) and let me know what you think. I saw the crusty coin for sale and thought it had promise. The results speak for themselves. Personally, I think "zapping" is by far the kindest way to clean any encrusted coin. The top left and right photographs depict the coin before zapping and the bottom two obviously depict the zapped coin.

If you would like to learn to "zap" coins please join us at CoinZappers. I would never ask you to quit this wonderful membership to join CZ but I ask that you add us to your repertoire of learning experiences. Each ancient coin group has special qualities and one learns from each group. I love to teach and we will be more than willing to walk you through the zapping process.

You have my personal invitation to join. Simply state that "Jerry asked you to join".. The URL is as follows: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/coinzappers

The invitation remains open and you will meet some of the kindest members on the web. I look forward to seeing you at CZ! Let me know what you think of the process. Thank you for reading and God Bless.. Jerry..

Natural Patination: A Value Scale

2008-02-02T18:01:00.000-06:00

Dear reader I am sharing a photo of three coins I have patinated using my "Natural Patination" process. First I will explain what value is to the artist. Value is the lightness and darkness of an object. Many times value is confused with intensity. Intensity is the brilliance or chromatic strength of an object. We can have a bright red and the brilliance would address the chromatic strength of the object.

Conversely we can have a dark red and we are addressing the lightness and darkness of the object. In this situation we are concerned with the value of the object. Please observe the three coins I have attached to this article. The coin on the left is lighter in value than the middle coin and the coin to the absolute right is darker that the other two coins. I have created a very short value scale moving from light to dark. There are many potential values to the right and left of the scale of the coins.

First of all I was able to add value to the coins by using my Natural Patination process. One can find the article elsewhere in my blog. Next, I am able to halt the patination or toning of the coin by placing the coin in white vinegar at the point I want the coin to remain in terms of value. Obviously, a natural toning will continue to take place as any coin ages. However, we can "lock" a desired value in by applying wax or an acrylic spray to the coin. As long as the coin is not in contact with the natural elements the coin will cease to tone.

If you are interested in the Natural Patination process I developed, please scan my blog and read the article. I will add that patina and patina value is a matter of personal taste. As an artist I deal with values and value choices constantly. As you continue to learn more about the zapping process you will also learn that you have the opportunity to make the same aesthetic choices. I hope this article is beneficial and I hope it helps you as you develop your zapping skills. I always enjoy receiving feedback about my articles.. God Bless.. Jerry..

Important Information About Photo Fluorescents

2008-01-24T15:27:00.000-06:00

This post is especially directed to those who have been following my coin photo teaching. The bulbs I have been recommending from Wal-Marts are no longer being carried by my local store and I assume that is true of all stores. The bulb I speak of is the "Lights of America" Sunlight fluorescent bulb. I have gotten very good results with the bulb but again it is no longer available where I live.

Wal-Mart now carries a GE fluorescent that plays havoc with the color balance on my Fuji S5000 and I assume that would be true of other digital cameras. I could not find a GE daylight bulb at Wal-Mart. However, I bought one of the bulbs and found I had wasted my five bucks! I have busied myself looking for an alternative source and I have found a bulb I like very much. After trying Lowe's and other stores I finally found a bulb at Home Depot.

The name and nomenclature of the bulb at Home Depot is as follows: N:VISION Daylight bulb. Be sure you buy the daylight bulb. I like the 14 watt bulb. I won't get into the numbers but suffice it to say the daylight bulb is as color balanced as any bulb I have bought off the shelf. The bulbs sells for around five dollars. I am now using two lights and I love the lower wattage. I don't get as much glare from my silver coins.

I am still working with my coin photography and I think things improve each day. I Have built a few photo tents but I like placing my white material right on the heads of my aluminum reflector lights. Please take a look at the accompanying photo. I am still not where I would like to be with photographs of my silver. If you find balanced daylight bulbs elsewhere please share with us. The pro photo bulbs are pricey and I think when you have balance you have balance. I think these N:VISION bulbs could very well be called photo balanced.

One other thing. I set up the new bulbs and set my camera to a daylight setting and got the same results I would have gotten from shooting outdoors on a nice clear day. I plan to talk with the people at Wal-Mart in Arkansas and see if they will be stocking the daylight bulbs. I can't imagine GE not making a balanced fluorescent.. thanks for reading and I hope this information helps.. God Bless.. Jerry.. PS: I need help with attributing the posted coin..

Coin Photography: Size And Placement

2008-01-19T17:42:00.000-06:00

A very important ingredient in ancient coin photography is size and placement. Placement pretty much speaks for itself. I think we will agree that a centered coin looks best in a coin photograph. I will address the sizing for the most part. Please observe the photograph above as a reference point. I have three separate photographs of the same coin. I created a different negative space for each coin so we can tell one from the other.

Look at the coin on the left. I have purposely left too much empty space to illustrate how the coin is lost in such a large negative area. Please use a sheet of paper to cover the other two coins on your monitor while observing each coin and as we go through the steps. We are visually uncomfortable as we view this image. I often see coin photographs much wore than the one I am using for this illustrative purpose.

We now move to the center coin. What is wrong with the photograph? Obviously I have cropped the coin until we feel uncomfortable with the photo. Why? I think it is like trying to fit the 300 pound man in a child's chair. It is cramped and does not work visually. Intuitively we seek visual relief from this photo. If it was a painting the same principle would apply.

Now, let's take a look at the composition on the right. Ahh, just right! Why? Because we "feel" it is right. We know we have something that is visually comfortable in terms of the design elements we have at our disposal. There is a "balance" between the positive and negative elements. I hope this is a meaningful presentation for each of you and I would like your feedback.. Thanks for reading and I am open to constructive criticism.. God Bless.. Jerry..

Ancient Coins, Photography And Texture

2008-01-18T12:22:00.000-06:00

I am using the coin photograph above to illustrate how texture can be used to effectively enhance our photos. I have taken the exercise to an almost absurd level in an effort to illustrate my principle. Please look at the photo on the left and you immediately see how the negative space (the background) competes for visual recognition with our central subject matter which is the coin. I have chosen a negative area that is not very subtle to demonstrate how the eye desires relief from the complexity of the overall composition.

Now, choose a piece of paper and block-out the highly textured left side of the photo by holding the paper in the proper location on your monitor. Your eye feels immediate relief from the complexity of the composition as it rests on the non-textured right photo. With the textured photo there is conflict and with the non-textured photo the eye finds the calm it seeks and desires.

There is visual conflict even if one uses a heavily textured fabric such as burlap or cotton duck. Also observe that I have used a cool color with a smooth surface for the negative space on the right.

Please try this exercise on your photos and you will get much better results as you learn and apply these simple principles. Please let me know if this information is meaningful to you and if so, please bookmark. Thank you and God Bless.. Jerry..

Coin Cleaners: The Stiffest Brush Of All!

2008-01-11T11:32:00.000-06:00

I was wandering the aisles of WalMart and stumbled across the stiffest plastic brush I have ever seen. The bristles are plastic so they should not harm your coin and the brush is a great size. See the accompanying photo above. The overall length of the brush is 7" and the brush head is 2 and 3/8" in length. The bristles measure 3/4" in width.

I have never seen a plastic brush this stiff. The item is called a "Grout Brush" and as I indicated I found it at WalMart. The price is .97 cents. It is large and very comfortable to hold. Please rush out, buy one and share your opinions with us. Thanks for reading and God Bless.. Jerry..

See Coin Below: Will A Zap Clean The Coin?

2008-01-09T18:36:00.000-06:00

I bought the coin pictured above and took a chance that it might clean up well. I received the coin in the mail today and thought it would be a good coin to use for a demo zap. Please click on the following URL and see the cleanup results: http://tinyurl.com/2azx5x

The coin is a Macedon Antigonus Gonatas 277-234 BC and possesses the kind of character I love to find in a coin. I am quite pleased with the results. The coin has a light texture but it has wonderful detail. The coin would have been very difficult to salvage using any techniques other than zapping. If you like the results and would like to learn to zap please join us at CoinZappers. The URL is as follows: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/coinzappers You will encounter some of the kindest members on the net at CZ and we are willing to walk you through each stage of the process. Just say Jerry sent you. thank you for looking and God Bless.. Jerry..

Aesthetics In A Malformed Ancient Coin

2008-01-03T14:33:00.000-06:00

I was about to stop zapping the little coin you see above since I had other and more exciting coins in the "soup." I took one final look at the coin and began nudging the encrustation with my now famous Bamboo Tool. Suddenly I experienced that "aesthetic moment" I sometimes write about. What a little gem! What a beauty!

It makes no difference that the little coin is misshapen and malformed. We often overlook the beauty in our daily lives. The flash of a redbird flying by or the colors of the leaves as they change. I had almost done the same with this beautiful coin. This tiny coin contains all the elements and principles needed to make it a work of art. It is indeed art. It is a tiny piece of sculpture.

Enough said. I hope you can relate to what I am trying to express. If so, please let me know. Thank you for reading and God Bless.. Jerry..

Zappers: A Great Cleaner For Your Coins

2007-12-31T14:22:00.000-06:00

Toothpaste and a toothbrush make an excellent cleaning combination for touching up your zapped coins. Be sure and purchase the cheaper brands of toothpaste that contains a very fine pumice. Some toothpastes are devoid of pumice. I don't know if one can still buy the canned toothpaste powder but I know it would be excellent for finishing a coin.

In addition, I don't know how one can be sure the toothpaste has a fine pumice but there are still inexpensive brands with the pumice. Perhaps one of our resident chemists will be able to tell us what the pumice ingredient is. I think Dollar Stores would be an excellent source for the cheaper brands.

As for the toothbrush, I like the stiff nylon brush but they are very hard to find. I think the larger "false teeth" brushes are much stiffer. Almost all dentists recommend the soft bristle. One can clip about half the bristles off and get better cleaning results. The shorter bristles make for a stiffer brush. Be sure and give this exercise a try. I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Please send feedback and please bookmark my blog.. God Bless.. Jerry..

A Zapped Tiberius With Lots Of Character

2007-12-16T00:23:00.000-06:00

I recently bought a bargain Tiberius from a friend of mine at Common Bronze during a sale they were having. I was very pleased with the coin but Tony, my friend, told me the coin needed more cleaning. After living with the coin for a few hours I decided to heed Tony's advice and stuck the coin in my zapper.

I am quite pleased with the results and I like the character of the coin very much. I think the obverse portrait is great. The coin after being subjected to electrolysis is pictured above. I have a photograph of the obverse before the coin was cleaned. The "before" photograph was pretty much an after though but I am pleased I have it. I think the before and after demonstrates well what one can do using electrolysis. Please click on the following URL to view the before photo: http://tinyurl.com/2cuemt Again, contrast the before with the after you see above.

I repeat as I do on most occassions that I believe electrolysis is the kindest way to clean a coin. I can only imagine what hard tools would have done to this beauty. I used my zapper and my Bamboo stick to clean the coin and would not touch it with anything harder. I also mention that the coin is a bit bright so I am using my Natural Patination process to tone the coin. It should be sufficiently darker in a few days. I will then dip the coin in white vinegar and the coin will be "fixed" as one would fix a photograph. A bit of wax and the coin should remain in great condition.

I extend an open invitation to you to join us at CoinZappers and learn the techniques we teach. We have a great membership as you do here and many of your fellow members are members of CZ. The URL to our group is as follows and just say Jerry invited me: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/coinzappers Thank you for reading and I enjoy your input. Please let me know if you want to see the coin after I have finished toning using my Natural Patination process.. God Bless.. Jerry..

One Of My Favorite Anodes

2007-12-12T16:58:00.000-06:00

I hope the following illustration I have created will help all you new zappers. In fact, I still consider this to be one of the best anodes I have created for anyone engaging in electrolysis. Please click on the following URL and take a look: http://tinyurl.com/39xu2y The upsides to this anode is that it is easy to make and it works so well. The downside is that it does pick up crust from the encrusted coins and the anode will need to be cleaned periodically.

I have solved the problem by having more than one of the anodes on hand. I can simply lift the "dirty" one from the solution and replace with a clean one. I try to keep at least two clean. The best I recall, one can clean at least a hundred coins before cleaning the anode with soapy water and a good stiff brush. Of course the degree of crust on the coins dictates the cleaning intervals.

If you are not engaged in the Joy of Cleaning Crusties with electrolysis, I invite you to join us at CoinZappers. We have made tremendous strides and are getting wonderful results. I extend an open invitation to all. Our URL to CoinZappers is as follows: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/coinzappers Please join us and if you have any questions you need answered about the process simply ask your question and send me your e-mail address. We have put to bed the old stigmas attached to cleaning with electrolysis. However, if you have heard any negatives I will enlighten you and and I will be as honest as I can be.

I am attaching a couple of URL's of coins I have cleaned using my zapping techniques. Please click on the following: http://tinyurl.com/2cg8cz I am sending another: http://tinyurl.com/33hwnm And one more: http://tinyurl.com/222vno Thank you for looking and I do hope you will join us. I am teaching others about this exciting technique every day.. God Bless.. Jerry..