More on the subject of seller/auction house scans

[Exhibitman]

A few random points:

Those Baker cards are beautiful for the grades.

Don't forget monitor differences. The settings a seller uses on his monitor can affect how the image looks to him and he might correct a color or contrast level as a result not to cheat but to make the item look more true to life as his monitor shows it.

When a card is scanned in a slab there is going to be some distortion. A CIS scanner [which most all-in-one machines have] doesn't have the depth perception that a CCD scanner does and it won't even scan a slabbed card accurately. I had to keep the old HP scanner I had even though my new Canon printer has a scanner because it cannot scan a slabbed card in focus. Even with a CCD scanner, you are still shooting through a layer of plastic that may or may not be crystal clear.

I find the best test of image accuracy on an auction listing is the color on the flip. We all know what a PSA or SGC flip should look like; if that is too bright, the wrong color, or otherwise distorted, I assume the rest of the image is distorted too.

I don't think an auctioneer who offers a series of large scans, front and back, must offer a description of every card flaw as well, especially if I am buying a midgrade or lower cards. I appreciate it when the AH does so.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

I find the best test of image accuracy on an auction listing is the color on the flip. We all know what a PSA or SGC flip should look like; if that is too bright, the wrong color, or otherwise distorted, I assume the rest of the image is distorted too.

Good point - easy enough to compare a real flip you are holding in your hand, to an online scan.

[nolemmings]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Exhibitman View Post
I find the best test of image accuracy on an auction listing is the color on the flip. We all know what a PSA or SGC flip should look like; if that is too bright, the wrong color, or otherwise distorted, I assume the rest of the image is distorted too.

Good point - easy enough to compare a real flip you are holding in your hand, to an online scan.

I agree and don't mean to sound flippant, but I always thought that was obvious. That's why I couldn't get into the other thread so much--seems to me that if PWCC enhances all of its scans it's a form of puffing that's readily observed, IMO, by looking at the flips and slabs, which opponents claim are damn near glowing. I can get through that with little heartburn, unless the scans are enhanced to hide defects.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by nolemmings

I agree and don't mean to sound flippant, but I always thought that was obvious. That's why I couldn't get into the other thread so much--seems to me that if PWCC enhances all of its scans it's a form of puffing that's readily observed, IMO, by looking at the flips and slabs, which opponents claim are damn near glowing. I can get through that with little heartburn, unless the scans are enhanced to hide defects.

Yep. The scanner law anality of that thread was mind-boggling.

I received a 5-card T205 lot in May, from a major auction house, that had the glowing scans you describe. It was obvious that they had been altered drastically, but I could tell enough from the grade, registration, color of the flip, etc., to have a pretty good idea of what they looked like - anyway, good enough to bid confidently. I altered THEIR scans to make the flip look correct, and sent those scans to a friend who was interested in one of the cards. When he saw the actual card at the National, he said that it looked better than the scans. True story - ask the boss.