Abstract: Systems and methods for illuminating an object surface with light at varying angles of incidence and for optically evaluating the object surface for features and defects, etc. are disclosed. In a specific implementation the systems and methods, the target object comprises a coin and the illumination and evaluation techniques are used to accurately objectively evaluate the numismatic quality of the coin and/or identify the coin. Central to the illumination and evaluation techniques is the ability to apply a uniform confined beam of light to the surface of the target object to be imaged. The confined angles of incidence of the beam of light includes a perpendicular component angle of incidence range and a parallel component angle of incidence range relative to the object surface. The component ranges are defined such a light beam illuminates the object surface from a well-defined direction.

Abstract: Systems and methods for illuminating an object surface with light at varying angles of incidence and for optically evaluating the object surface for features and defects, etc. are disclosed. In a specific implementation the systems and methods, the target object comprises a coin and the illumination and evaluation techniques are used to accurately objectively evaluate the numismatic quality of the coin and/or identify the coin. Central to the illumination and evaluation techniques is the ability to apply a uniform confined beam of light to the surface of the target object to be imaged. The confined angles of incidence of the beam of light includes a perpendicular component angle of incidence range and a parallel component angle of incidence range relative to the object surface. The component ranges are defined such a light beam illuminates the object surface from a well-defined direction.

Abstract: A method and system for accurately and objectively evaluating the numismatic quality of a test coin and/or for fingerprinting the test coin for purposes of identification is disclosed. Central to both the grading and fingerprinting aspects of the invention is the exact, numerical evaluation of any detracting marks on each side of the coin. In particular, each detracting mark on the coin is identified, located and measured. An assigned quantity representative of the detracting significance of each mark is then calculated by adjusting the measured surface area of the mark by a factor representative of the relative grading importance of the area on the coin where the mark is located. The assigned quantities and corresponding mark location identifiers are stored as a unique test coin fingerprint. The grading aspect further requires that the assigned quantities for each side be separately summed and correlated into a grade via comparison with a preexisting database of values representative of numismatic grades.