A system for generating an image of a seal impression. The system includes: means for acquiring N still images of a face of a seal corresponding respectively to N beams of light striking the face in succession, wherein N is at least 2; and means for combining the N still images to generate a composite image of pixels, wherein a common area of pixels in the composite image appears on the face of the seal in all still images of the N still images, and wherein the common area includes a character area pertaining to where an engraved character is located on the face of the seal.