General Forum

Got this out of a Black Gold break last week.  Here is how it looks in hand:

https://imgur.com/QxRHoTv

Here is how it looks in a sand storm after you've had your glasses blown off and your cornea scratched.  Or, after a scan.  

https://imgur.com/NR71VyB

I went through Billy's post on editing scans with PhotoScape, but I think the problems with this scan start earlier.  I've tried many of the tips on scanning these damn foil cards, but is there anything anyone can think of?  Anyone have any real luck with these Black Gold mini shadowbox foils?  

Short story, no. Some cards just refuse to scan properly. Cards with heavy portions of shiny gold are extremely tough to capture.

Try this. Rotate the card 45 degrees (either clockwise or counterclockwise) and scan it. Repeat. Keep repeating if necessary. Sometimes this makes a considerable difference in image quality but sometimes not.

There are programs that can create composites to compensate for scanning issues. For example, using Google PhotoScan, it has a "capture flow" option that takes multiple scans/pictures and creates a good copy. BUT the issue is, you have to use PhotoScan for that functionality. Certainly there are programs for use providing your own scans or images, but I haven't looked further into it.

Not sure if that would be against the rules, to use a generated composite image for items that don't scan or can't take pictures of properly.

For my own purposes, I put "proof of existance" photos above "no photo" when it comes to documenting items, especially in systems where uploading better pictures are promoted.

Thanks for the tips, guys.  I'll try again today and see if I get any better results.

Use the picture one

This may be taboo here so shhhhhh....

but I have had some scans show up better if I scan them in a penny sleeve instead of raw format.  IF you do this just make sure the card is cropped well enough so that you can't tell it's in a sleeve ;)

PhotoScan is an app for your phone and uploading "scans" taken with your camera phone is against the rules.

Put the card in a document protector, then scan it. I think scanning cards in "sleeves" is frowned upon, but with some cards it cannot be avoided if you wish to get a quality image. Try puuting the card in a document protector and scanning.

Per site guidelines:

Photos are not acceptable. Period.

Scans, when inside plastic (such as sleeves, top loaders, or slabs), can have light refractions that obscure the card in some manner. If, by luck or skill, you can scan a card in such a protective holder and there are no "light artifacts" and the card looks in the image as it does "in hand", those scans would be perfectly acceptable.

Phone "apps" are photo takers and images from those sources are not acceptable.