What's a good size image resolution for a baseball card?

[r2d2]

My complete question didn't fit in the tittle so here it goes: What's the ideal or preferred size / resolution of a baseball card (scan) to post on a forum?
Usually I just scan, upload and post. The problem is I usually get huge images on the post and I know that's not good esthetically and it annoys some people.
I can adjust the sizes on photobucket in resolution so please let me know the usual size.

Thanks

 

[gracecollector]

Actual card size is 2.5"W x 3.5"H (for vertical cards) at 72 dpi.

If you want larger size scans, do 5"x7" at 72 dpi.

Whatever physical size you want, keep your scans at 72 dpi (screen resolution of 72 dots per inch). It's best if you scan the card at 300 dpi and size it down with software to 72 dpi. If you have photoshop, learn to use the unsharp mask feature AFTER resizing to 72 dpi. It is under filters > sharpen > unsharp mask. Try settings of Amount 100% / Radius 1.0 pixels / Threshold 10 pixels as a general setting.

 

[ChasHawk]

I always scan at 300dpi, and then resize to 400x280 pixels for raw cards and 500x300 for graded cards.

Allows me to post 3 vert cards on one line at my screen resolution...

or two horizontal cards...

 

[DaClyde]

Most image hosting sites give you size options if you're linking back to them in a forum, so the size if the original doesn't matter so much, as long as it is large enough to get the desired point across. Mainly you just want a clear image.

 

[ChasHawk]

Most image hosting sites give you size options if you're linking back to them in a forum, so the size if the original doesn't matter so much, as long as it is large enough to get the desired point across. Mainly you just want a clear image.

photobucket takes FOREVER to actually resize the image though

 

[pujols5hof]

hey,
do your preview at regular. scan at 300 dpi. at this resolution a scans "crop" should be 780/1080 for a standard baseball card.
crop at 780/1080 (or those increments) and save.
open paint and stretch/skew 42% and you have a zeroed in 450/320 (vice-versa) beauty.

 

[DaClyde]

Most image hosting sites give you size options if you're linking back to them in a forum, so the size if the original doesn't matter so much, as long as it is large enough to get the desired point across. Mainly you just want a clear image.

photobucket takes FOREVER to actually resize the image though

I don't mean having the site resize the image, I mean using the option from the site to link to a smaller version of the image. Picasa gives you five options of sizes when linking to the image, from thumbnail size to fairly large. All without actually altering your image.

 

[r2d2]

Most image hosting sites give you size options if you're linking back to them in a forum, so the size if the original doesn't matter so much, as long as it is large enough to get the desired point across. Mainly you just want a clear image.

photobucket takes FOREVER to actually resize the image though

I don't mean having the site resize the image, I mean using the option from the site to link to a smaller version of the image. Picasa gives you five options of sizes when linking to the image, from thumbnail size to fairly large. All without actually altering your image.

Wow, that's awesome. Bummer that now I have tons of stuff in photobucket.

Thanks for all the replies guys