PVC or not PVC? That is the question.
Michael Benveniste
fact, I was blowing off a couple of shots of film using a very odd
combination of equipment. (Nikon F100, Ektar 100, a Pentax(!) 120mm
f/4 Macro, and a pair of supposedly daylight balanced fluorescents).
As a result, the color balance of these shots is a bit off:
http://wemightneedthat.biz/Coins/1853obv.jpg
http://wemightneedthat.biz/Coins/1853rev.jpg
That said, what about those spots on the back of this half-cent?
On the coin, they appear to just be dark spots, but on this
particularly shot, they look an awful lot like PVC. The coin is
currently housed in an old green label PCGS holder.
What says the jury?
--
Mike Benveniste -- m...@murkyether.com (Clarification Required)
Its name is Public opinion. It is held in reverence. It settles
everything. Some think it is the voice of God. -- Mark Twain
Mr. Jaggers
> This wasn't exactly a shining moment for me in coin photography. In
> fact, I was blowing off a couple of shots of film using a very odd
> combination of equipment. (Nikon F100, Ektar 100, a Pentax(!) 120mm
> f/4 Macro, and a pair of supposedly daylight balanced fluorescents).
> As a result, the color balance of these shots is a bit off:
>
> http://wemightneedthat.biz/Coins/1853obv.jpg
> http://wemightneedthat.biz/Coins/1853rev.jpg
>
> That said, what about those spots on the back of this half-cent?
> On the coin, they appear to just be dark spots, but on this
> particularly shot, they look an awful lot like PVC. The coin is
> currently housed in an old green label PCGS holder.
>
> What says the jury?
That type of corrosion can be caused by a number of things, PVC included.
I'd rather say that if it were PVC damage, it would be more evenly spread
over the surface, and on both sides. Does the coin appear greasy or slimy?
That's a dead giveaway for PVC damage, but PCGS certainly would have known
that refused to slab it.
Possibly someone sneezed or sputtered on the coin before it was slabbed, and
it took a while for the damage to appear. Regardless, it's sad for a nice
coin like that to suffer.
James
Peter
>
> - Show quoted text -
Does PCGS offer any guarantee for copper (or brass) coins? If they
do, I would be inclined to get whatever benefit they offer ASAP.
In my experience people that want to keep copper surface free from
corrosion use dry nitrogen.
Mr. Jaggers
Here is the text from the PCGS website:
"Because the color and surfaces of copper coins can change due to
environmental factors, PCGS does not guarantee the color of copper coins, or
the absence of copper spotting, for any PCGS graded copper coin graded or
sold after January 1, 2010."
James
Michael Benveniste
> That type of corrosion can be caused by a number of things, PVC included.
> I'd rather say that if it were PVC damage, it would be more evenly spread
> over the surface, and on both sides. Does the coin appear greasy or
> slimy? That's a dead giveaway for PVC damage, but PCGS certainly would
> have known that refused to slab it.
Thanks.
No slime, but then I couldn't see any slime on the 17-D dime I sent in to
ANACS a few years back either. But I'm a little surprised that PCGS
would have slabbed it with any corrosion, much less as an MS-64BN.
After all, it's a common date.
I guess I'll see what PCGS has to say in August, assuming they are
at the Boston ANA event. The only time I sent in a coin to PCGS for
a grading review it disappeared, so I'm not eager to try again.
Phil DeMayo
> This wasn't exactly a shining moment for me in coin photography. In
> fact, I was blowing off a couple of shots of film using a very odd
> combination of equipment. (Nikon F100, Ektar 100, a Pentax(!) 120mm
> f/4 Macro, and a pair of supposedly daylight balanced fluorescents).
> As a result, the color balance of these shots is a bit off:
>
>
> That said, what about those spots on the back of this half-cent?
> On the coin, they appear to just be dark spots, but on this
> particularly shot, they look an awful lot like PVC. The coin is
> currently housed in an old green label PCGS holder.
>
> What says the jury?
>
> --
> Mike Benveniste -- m...@murkyether.com (Clarification Required)
> Its name is Public opinion. It is held in reverence. It settles
> everything. Some think it is the voice of God. -- Mark Twain
I think Mr. J may be right.
I'm sure that sometime during the course of your photographic career
you've been warned not to blow dust off of a lens. The reason is that
it is difficult to blow without spitting. Spit can be a problem for
lens coatings.
It can also be a problem for coins. Shortly before the coin was
slabbed, someone may have attempted to blow some dust off a the coin
and it was hit with spittle.
Michael Benveniste
> I'm sure that sometime during the course of your photographic career
> you've been warned not to blow dust off of a lens. The reason is that
> it is difficult to blow without spitting. Spit can be a problem for
> lens coatings.
Photographic career? I don't have a photographic career, I have
a money-draining hobby/addiction :-(.
Thanks for your opinion. If I remember correctly, an MS-64 copper
can have "noticeable spotting," and as long as it's not PVC, I guess
I can live with the assigned grade.
Phil DeMayo
> Photographic career? I don't have a photographic career, I have
> a money-draining hobby/addiction :-(.
I fully understand. Last year I ebay'ed 6 Nikon bodies and 7 lenses.
I knew you were an advanced hobbyist and tried to come up with a
better term, but couldn't given the time constraints imposed by the
"rush" I was in while replying. I didn't want to insult you so I gave
you a new "career".
EricBabula
You could maybe call Michael a "Semi-professional Photographer". He
has had photographs published. If he has been paid, you might consider
him a "Professional Photographer". I'm using the term "Semi-
Professional" for myself, too, as some of my pics have been published,
not only online (by others, not just myself!), but in a couple hard
copy books, too. Ok, maybe I'm stretching / reaching / grasping, but I
like it and I'm sticking with it!! :)
mazorj
"EricBabula" <ericb...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:9b64757d-2005-421f...@5g2000yqj.googlegroups.com...
==============================
The are any number of definitions of a "professional". Under the common,
popular concept of the term, if you were good enough to ever get paid for
it, you are a "professional". As in "no longer an amateur".
A stricter definition says that a "professional" must be a practicing member
of a specific "profession" such as medicine or law or accounting, and
subscribe to an accepted set of standards set specifically for that
profession by a recognized body representing the profession.
Under the strict definintion, most occupations do not qualify. There is no
such thing as a "professional" typist even if that's what you get paid to
do. Ditto for photographers even though there are "professional"
associations for them.
However, even under the common definition, a little restraint is in order.
If the local paper paid you $25 for a photo of a house fire, you qualify
under the loosest interpretation of the common definition. But I certainly
wouldn't call myself a professional for just that one sale. Guidance for
this can be found in the IRS, of all places. Check their standards for
"hobby" income versus "business" income that must be reported on a Schedule
C. If you file a Schedule C you're definitely a "professional" under the
common definition.
The gray area lies between a once or twice sale, and running a taxable
business at it. At what point does a serious hobbyist who consistently
generates a few hundred dollars in annual sales start to look more like a
pro? The individual has a lot of latitude in how he chooses to identify
this activity. The loose term "semi-pro" is one such option.
And just to rein this in to being more on topic: Is there any such thing as
a "professional numismatist" under the *strict* definition? Anyone who has
sold anything on eBay can qualify under the common definition. But other
than the basic standards that apply to any business activity, is there
anything to make numismatics a "higher calling"? That's a high hurdle to
cross and IMO it would be treated the same way as photography: It's an
occupation, not a profession. However, I suspect that somebody out there
may have a different view. :-)