Scanning your collection - share your best practices?
 

I recently saw a helpful thread on picking the best scanners for card images… I’m wondering if collectors might have helpful tips on how they scan their cards for best image AND for ease and efficiency.

For example, when you scan, is the image already cropped to the size of the card or do you always have to crop to get the final image right sized to the card? How about different sizes cards (tobacco, traditional, postcard)

Any tips on storing narrative info on the scan for easy reference? Purchase date, price paid, other details

This is going to be a winter weekend project for my collection and thought some Net54ers might have some great tips to share on how they create their scan/images and store related info about the cards

Thx all,

Jeff

I put a unique number in the name of the scanned file, which refers to a unique number in the MS Access database that contains more in-depth info on the card such as Year, Company, card #, player name, condition, purchase price, and Notes such as who I bought it from or any specific card details or trade info etc.

I think you can probably do a few hundred scans in a weekend depending how efficient your process is. Good luck!
Rob
:)

I don't scan mine, I take photos of them with my cell phone camera, front and back. Some come out better than others. If just a quick post in these forums, I post them without edits. For my own collection, however, I take the time and effort to take decent, hi-res pics and then edit and crop as necessary. I probably have 90% of all my cards very nicely imaged and cataloged (all of my pre-war cards).

I use the Epson photo scan software (V370 scanner). I have a few preset settings for different types of cards (PSA regular size, SGC postcard, raw tobacco/e, standard Topps, etc). I also use a guide I created (with stolen legos from my kids) to consistently place the slab/card on the scanner glass and in the correct orientation. With this I only need to scan the area of the card, not the full glass area plus I never need to crop anything. I change the file name based on where I purchased the item. I upload all my scans to Flickr.

For storing info, I use an access database that tracks the purchase info, card info, has fields for the image URL, sold info, etc. I also use a query from this database to generate my Ebay listings.

I use the V600 and always crop using standard photo editing software that comes with the computer. I'll scan one card at a time front and back and place a blackout background of black or dark blue behind the card. I'll name each image by set and player 33G Ruth, 14CJ Cobb etc. I'll keep all scans in a folder on my desktop and keep my collection on Flickr for viewing.

As an FYI, with the V600, you can just scan with the lid open and it will give you a nice clean black background. No need to lay a black cloth over the card and risk damaging corners.

I scan with the lid open. I crop out the card & label and paste it on to a cleaned up slab background. Just my preference.

https://i.imgur.com/ATtW5Vk.png

I'm still learning but I have found this guide created by Ngs428 very helpful:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Eum...gFVdzjffp/view

Also, Snowman's comment here was helpful for getting started on a Mac with the V600:

https://www.net54baseball.com/showpo...6&postcount=23

I wait until I have multiple items to scan and then put them all on the scanner at once, flip them and do the backs. I then use the free Photoshop-like software Paint.net to open them and cut and paste the individual front-backs into new files that I then save with the card's set, name, and another detail or two if I might have files with the same name.

Also - scanners will make images that are way higher resolution than you need to have a nice scan. I try to have the final individual card files end up at about 1 MB - they look great and are the right size to be posted here without needing to create a smaller file.

I scan at 200dpi the front, then the back. Then I cut and paste to make them 1 picture....crop out the additional space then put it in my collection on my personal website. Then anytime I want to show one I just click that link, add it here and job done..

https://luckeycards.com/e253cobb.jpg

Leon - correct me if I am wrong, but when you post that way and then remove the card from the site you link to, the image disappears from Net54, right? (As opposed to actually posting the image here which means it will stay with the post.)

Yes it would but I don't remember ever removing one, though I am sure it's been done. Things in my collection usually stay unless I sell the whole thing again. And I hope that is not for a long time.

This is an interesting thread, thanks. I'd really like to scan my collection and manage the files in some useful way. Now I have a new project....

me too...one of these days!!!