Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.
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| 3-D Printed Lion Ring Source: ShapeWays link below. |
There has always been counterfeiting. It happens now, and it happened back in the day. You might have noticed the contemporary counterfeit that was sold in the Sedwick auction for a good price. Some people collect contemporary counterfeits, which are counterfeits made while the coin that was counterfeited was still in common circulation. I'll talk about that more some other day. Today I want to talk a little about some new technologies that maybe you didn't connect with treasure hunting or coin collecting.
Want to make a copy of your favorite coin or artifact? You can use 3-D printing. You can actually buy an inexpensive 3-D printer at Best Buy or Sams Club that costs less than five hundred dollars. Those are low-end, of course, but they work remarkably well.
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| 3-D Printer Offered On The Sams Web Site. |
Sams offers basic, intermediate and professional 3-D printers. They also offer 3-D scanners.
There professional level 3-D printers that can create very precise copies of objects in steel, aluminum, silver, gold or other materials.
I'm not talking about making a counterfeit coin to be circulated, but it might be nice to have a copy of a coin or artifact that you can carry around or display while the original remains safely stored.
I would be surprised if museums are not using 3-D printing extensively. They often display reproductions instead of valuable artifacts. You might remember that a few years ago a gold bar that was on display was stolen from the Fisher museum in Key West.
You don't have to do it yourself. There are companies that will create reproductions for you.
Here is a link to one company that will do it. http://www.shapeways.com/
I think you'll be impressed if you take a look at that web site. They will make reproductions from originals or design something special for you.
Here is a 3-D printer buyer's guide.
http://3dprinters.3dsystems.com/printer-buyers-guide/?gclid=COjr1auS6MwCFQkfhgodC3kCzQ
A 3-D printer is a 3-D printer. The printer can be part of the system. You might also want a 3-D scanner to scan objects that you want to reproduce. 3-D scanners can be bought at a price that compares to a 3-D printer.
In numismatic circles, there is a discussion of 3-D printing being used to make counterfeits of valuable coins. Some coin collectors feel that 3-D printed coins can be identified, but it might not be easy for someone that is not very expert.
3-D printing can also be used to create copies of the encapsulation holders used by certification companies. Some people seem to be more concerned about that than the actual reproduction of coins.
Here is a link to one discussion of the problem.
http://www.ancients.info/forums/showthread.php?p=16791
A lot of coin collectors find the potential abuses of 3-D printing scary, but you might find some good uses for a 3-D printer. Like I said, if you want a copy of a coin or artifact to carry around or display in a cabinet, you don't have to make it yourself.
Of course, there are other ways to create copies. I'm sure you know that you can create molds etc., but 3-D scanning and printing offers one good alternative.
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While I'm on technology today, there is one more that I'll point out. You probably know about Google Street View, and if you have been looking for a new house, you probably know that it is possible to create virtual tours.
There are some good virtual tours on the internet that you might want to check out. Google partnered with the British Museum to create one very complete tour. Give it a try. Here is the link.
https://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/asset-viewer/AwEp68JO4NECkQ?location=51.5185519%2C-0.127216%2C1.58%2Ck4Hf6-SfnYiDVnQjvcP6bQ
It takes a little practice to learn how to get around, but once you master it, it can be a lot of fun.
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I have a lot of topics to talk about that I didn't get to today.
We're still having flat water and easy water hunting. The only problem is the heat and afternoon thunderstorms.
Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net
