Any Advice on Handling Proof Gold

[Ch2toWm4]

I am intimidated by a set of coins. (Yes, I know, "Get over it")!

It is a 1937 gem Proof Gold set (in the red case). I bought it just over 20 years ago at the Chicago International Show from a major English dealer.

Knowing the possible problems of handling, or even breathing over, unprotected Proofs, I have left the set untouched in a safety deposit box.

I opened the box some months ago and saw a new toning spot on one of the smaller pieces. My fear is that if I remove the coins for scanning, more spots will appear. Or worse.

It's time to sell. I have much experience scanning coins and selling on eBay.

So what to do? Just remove each coin for scanning, hold my breath, and hope?

Bill

PS - I am nowhere near a large city or coin show.

[scottishmoney]

So what to do? Just remove each coin for scanning, hold my breath, and hope?

Bill

PS - I am nowhere near a large city or coin show.

You can get a paper filtered mask that fits over your nose and mouth, that stops your condensation from getting on the coins. In addition get some cotton gloves for handling the coins. These should be available in a home improvement store.

For imaging the coins - Since they are proofs and valuable as such, do NOT scan them. I don't place anything too good on the scanner, but rather play with the new digital camera until I get the image just right. That way you save yourself placing coins on glass(safe by itself, unfortunately not with finger oils, dust, glass cleansing agents etc)

With a bit of practice with a decent 4.0+ MP camera, you can take amazing shots of coins. You will achieve much more satisfactory results with a camera over a scanner any day. The only reason I still use the scanner often is that it is less time consuming, and for most of my images I can give a bit on the quality.

I only started photographing my coins after some of them looked terrible when scanned, especially darker bronzes, I have some ancients from Syracuse Sicily that absolutely refuse to be scanned, but I can image them with the camera. The second coin, second AE from Sicily on this page is scanned, all the rest are imaged with a 4.1 MP camera(now replaced by a 6.0 MP) Notice the difference in the images?

[Ch2toWm4]

So what to do? Just remove each coin for scanning, hold my breath, and hope?

Bill

PS - I am nowhere near a large city or coin show.

You can get a paper filtered mask that fits over your nose and mouth, that stops your condensation from getting on the coins. In addition get some cotton gloves for handling the coins. These should be available in a home improvement store.

For imaging the coins - Since they are proofs and valuable as such, do NOT scan them. I don't place anything too good on the scanner, but rather play with the new digital camera until I get the image just right. That way you save yourself placing coins on glass(safe by itself, unfortunately not with finger oils, dust, glass cleansing agents etc)

With a bit of practice with a decent 4.0+ MP camera, you can take amazing shots of coins. You will achieve much more satisfactory results with a camera over a scanner any day. The only reason I still use the scanner often is that it is less time consuming, and for most of my images I can give a bit on the quality.

I only started photographing my coins after some of them looked terrible when scanned, especially darker bronzes, I have some ancients from Syracuse Sicily that absolutely refuse to be scanned, but I can image them with the camera. The second coin, second AE from Sicily on this page is scanned, all the rest are imaged with a 4.1 MP camera(now replaced by a 6.0 MP) Notice the difference in the images?

Thanks Scottishmoney. It all makes perfect sense. I'll give it a try with my digital camera (a Canon 610A 4 megapixel).