What's the best kind of light to check luster in? real bright or kinda bright Im Wanting to check my peace dollars real good
A single point of light is best. The sun, one incandescent light, etc. A flourescent tube is not as good because it is not a single point of light.
OK so like pointing a flashlight at it and move the coin around in that light now do you just rock it back and forth or do you move it in a circle
I took a video of one of my coins to see if I was doing it right but can't figure out how to share it so you all can tell me
You need no more than existing light to experience luster. There's no magic involved here, and certainly no rocket science.
Pretty much every book you read, and every noted numismatist there is will tell you that it's best to view coins with an incandescent light bulb, 75w at about 18 inches. There's just something about the incandescent light that shows you things that other types of light bulbs, and natural light, cannot show you.
True, but I was merely suggesting that the cartwheel effect of showing luster can be viewed in any type of light. I agree that better lighting makes for better viewing of the intricate details of the coin.....good and bad. That's why the Almighty created lamps for dealers tables........
Yes it can be. However, the cartwheel effect is not the only thing you want to see when you look at a coin. Some kinds of light can exaggerate flaws making you undergrade the coin, other kinds of light can hide flaws making you overgrade the coin. Incandescent light, of the correct strength, does neither.
