Yeah right - I am picture-challenged
But thanks for noticing that dangit!! I AM doing better!

I attribute my "improving" scans to several things:

Helping Paul Hegge with the Nevada ChipGuide.
It is hard to scan, crop and perfectly straighten hundreds of chips without learning SOMETHING

For Ebay... I scan at 100%, 200 dpi. I resize the picture so it is 300 pixels across (No larger - and not much smaller unless shape merits adjustments)
If I go 350 (or more) I find the scan takes on distortion.
If I go smaller (like 250 or less), the scan doesn't use the maximum space provided. For Ebay purposes... I find a "too small scan" is like slapping a wallet sized photo in an 8x10 frame.

But better results have been enhanced lately by UPGRADES!
NEW HARDWARE - NEW SOFTWARE!
Lordy Lordy! Replacing my scanner last year helped (Epson Perfection 1260 ) but dumping my Adobe PhotoDeluxe (for Windows 95 - that should tell you something )in January to Adobe Photoshop Essentials 2002 - WOW WOW WOW! AMAZING!!

Now - truth is - I didn't want to do it.
I am software complacent. HAD to upgrade because Windows XP (on my new computer) didn't want anything to do my old Adobe.
So if you're considering buying photo software, the new Adobe is worth learning! It's pretty easy (except I'm stalled in one place ) and reasonable ($80 @ Costco with a $40 rebate)

Bow - if you're one of "those" people (like me - I am one ) that find the idea of learning "new software" overwhelming - I kid you NOT about my new Adobe! NO ONE hates learning new software more than me... NO ONE. I mean NO ONE!! I HATE IT - HATE IT - HATE IT
In fact, I'd probably still be on a Commodore 64 if MS didn't force me to change.

Thanks Chuck for your comment! I appreciate hearing my scans are "Ebay-friendly". I always worry it's just me and my huge monitor that make things look "Fine from here!"

As a final note - I confess, last year I enrolled in the Larry Hollibaugh School of Scanning for help and direction. Larry's scans have always impressed me - and Andy's.
I rely on an ocasional Chip Tip from the pros - save me months of clicking and guessing.

And this concludes this session of:
JILL IS A SCANNING-FOOL WANNABE 101