Layout and design

[kuhli 0]

Besides the daunting task of providing accurate pricing, Chris must also deal with the aspect of publishing a quality book. I think we should all give him our thoughts, both good and bad, on the current layout and design of the book, so that he can have some ideas on ways to possibly improve it.

So what do you think?

What do you like about the book?

What do you dislike??

[Emperor Oli 0]

Speaking from an aesthetic point of view, I think the cover is nasty. Something with a little character - perhaps along the lines of Coin Yearbook would be nice. We have this program at school called Corel Draw (you've probably heard of it) and it can do amazing stuff however I've heard Adobe Photoshop is better. I was gonna buy it but then i found it was £50!

[Half Penny Jon 0]

I think the cover is too boring. It should show some really high grade or rare coins to attract people.

[Emperor Oli 0]

No, just make it look more professional!

[Chris Perkins 223]

Correct, the cover is dated and quite nasty and has had that blue/black/white look for sometime now.

The reason it is only produced in 2 ink colours was a technical/time consuming reason. Apparently with the equipment they have it takes a very long time to put different colour inks on the page and the results were not always great. The reason blue/black are the current colours is because the book has always been blue/black, and to aid identifaction.

So with the identification thing in mind I think I will modernise the cover design to the maximum given the technology available at the German printers. If it can be full technicolour (and not cost much more) then I'd be inclined to do something full colour with perhaps a blue and black feel.

I think tranditionally the cover has always illustrated the new coins for that year, which is sensible I suppose. I don't know what actual coins will be on the next cover at this stage, but I would really like to improve the cover on the book.

I do have Adobe Photoshop, but it's in German, so could prove a little difficult!

[Emperor Oli 0]

Ach mein Gott das ist gut - vielleicht deine Frau kannt dir hilfen? (I think that makes sense )

[Master Jmd 50]

maybe the colour could be something like spinks, not a 'fixed' background, but a textured one...and maybe include a brilliant condition edward VII coin, or something like that...

i take it that the George III coin book and the collectors coins book are both by the same writer, maybe you could scrap the george III book and put george III coinage in the collectors coins book, and then raise the price by say £2 maybe...

[Half Penny Jon 0]

I still think that you should dispaly a really high grade or rare coin on the cover.

[william 0]

I still think that you should dispaly a really high grade or rare coin on the cover.

I agree

[Emperor Oli 0]

scrap the george III book and put george III coinage in the collectors coins book

I think someone suggested that earlier because the point where CC starts is logical in terms of, well non-numismatists but silly from our p.o.v

[Chris Perkins 223]

Hey chaps, we're doing the usual and getting ahead of ourselves!!!

Master JMD, if you want it textured then you can pay for whatever printing techinique that would involve!

Emp Oli, your German made sense to me, except I'm not married to the girl, she's just Meine freundin right now.

Master JMD, the major point about these titles is the price, and the fact that at £4.50 the books are at least £3.49 cheaper than the nearest competition. A price increase of £2.00 would be out of the question I'm afraid. The books are currently by the same author.

Penny Master, the coin on the cover is irrelevant at this stage.

[Emperor Oli 0]

First I put deine Madchen but then it sounded as though you had a daughter so I plumped for Frau as I couldn't remember girlfriend!

[Master Jmd 50]

Master JMD, if you want it textured then you can pay for whatever printing techinique that would involve!

these are only suggestions remember!

[Chris Perkins 223]

Yes, i know, but I'm getting strict now, as the outcome of this area may directly affect my yearly income!

Let's keep to the layout topic, we've agreed that the cover is crap (textured would be just an extra expense that I would rather not pass on).

So what about the inside?

Is there anyone that is not familiar with Collectors Coins Great Britain 2004?

[Emperor Oli 0]

I'm not! If someone could host some scans (to save bandwidth) then that would be good. I use Photobucket for my sig...

[william 0]

Is there anyone that is not familiar with Collectors Coins Great Britain 2004?

I'm not very familiar with it, but I have seen what the layout is like in your accesory shop

[Master Jmd 50]

i am also not familiar with it, but i think it is quite easy to understand it with the pictures in your book shop chris

[Geoff T 3]

First I put deine Madchen but then it sounded as though you had a daughter so I plumped for Frau as I couldn't remember girlfriend!

Dein Madchen (oder richtig Maedchen) - German diminutives are always neuter

[Half Penny Jon 0]

I am not familiar with the layout of the inside. In my opinion, you should include colour photos of coins rather than just black and white like all the other books (I know this irrelevant at this stage).

[Chris Perkins 223]

I am not familiar with the layout of the inside. In my opinion, you should include colour photos of coins rather than just black and white like all the other books (I know this irrelevant at this stage).

I think colour would be too expensive. I have an American coin book with glossy colour pictures in and it looks wonderful, but the most important thing is that I get the customers because of the low price.

The images in Spink are greyscale and fine, I'd hope for something like that.

[Emperor Oli 0]

I prefer b&w in catalogues like this. The quality just wouldn't be good enough in colour.

[Half Penny Jon 0]

I guess so. Black and White examples are fine in terms of capturing the coin in its true glory.

[Chris Perkins 223]

Yes, and the main task isn't to capture the coin in full glory. It would be impossible to illustrate every type, so the pictures are just to add effect really, to break the text.

[Master Jmd 50]

sorry to go off topic here, but i have notised that instead of member, me and the others who visit the forum regularly are now in the numismatic group...is this because of this book?

[Half Penny Jon 0]

Very true. I think pictures, colour, font etc...... are irrelevant at this stage.