I'm interested in starting to weigh my coins so I can post how many grams they are. Thus my question.
I think several of us have this inexpensive digital scale: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012LOQUQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The main 2 questions are max. weight in grams and resolution ( accuracy) such as +/- .1 gram. ,.01gram, .001 gram, .0001 gram. As each goes up, so does the pricing. Here is another to complement TIF. I have one of his shown also, but needed the greater accuracy for gemstone material, and this one is 10 times higher accuracy if needed, as I do for carat values. Jim https://www.amazon.com/WAOAW-Milligram-Reloading-Calibration-Tweezers/dp/B06W5VXN53/ref=sr_1_11?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1495386278&sr=1-11-spons&keywords=50 mg scales&psc=1
That's a nice find. When I was looking for a milligram scale several years ago, the highest affordable capacity I could find was 30g -- just short of what I needed to get accurate weights on one-troy-ounce coins. That particular threshold wouldn't be relevant for ancients, of course, but more capacity is always useful. As it turns out, though, I hardly ever use that scale -- I rely on a 300g/.01g scale, and that accuracy is more than enough for day-to-day use. I'd love to get something even more sensitive, ideally a microgram analytical scale, but (a) I don't want to spend the money to buy and maintain it, (b) I don't have a solid-foundation place to put it, and (c) I don't have the technical skill to use it properly.
After reading the reviews on the scale Jim linked above, I decided I may not need a new scale after all. My complaints of each scale I have tried are the same. The one above comes with a 50g calibration weight which is the maximum of the scale. I have three calibration weights that came with scales but they do not agree on how much they weigh. If you calibrate a scale with a weight that is .01g over or under, don't count on accuracy of the .001 digit. I want to weigh coins between .01 and 20.00g for the most part but none calibrate for a point other than the maximum. This does not bode well for that last digit on small coins. Never use a scale in a room with a ceiling fan or while the a/c is running. Drafts weigh as much as some coins. Weigh the same coin on your scales ten times on ten different days and record the results each time. If the last number changes, realize that your results are not accurate to that digit. I'd buy a new .001g scale if I felt any confidence that it was more accurate to .01g than the one I have. As it is, I believe in my results for .1g accuracy and say that is good enough for what I am doing. I wish I could calibrate my scales to match results on a coin bought with a weight given from some other dealer but what I get and what CNG gives me in their descriptions are not consistently off by the same amount every time. Does this comment on their scales, their techniques or mine? Scale quality is important but proper techniques and calibration are every bit as much so. Buy a reasonable scale like the one TIF showed and realize that the last digit is not something to be worshiped.
That's a good deal. I found one very similar at a gas station/smoke shop for $20 if I remember correctly.
I also use the one TIF linked and it works great and the battery lasts forever(I've never changed it). If you ever start collecting huge aes grave or you want to weigh out bags of bullion you'll want a bigger scale but you can find plenty in the same price range. The thing to keep in mind is that there really is no one scale that works for all sizes equally well. The first scale I purchased was one that advertised 1000g maximum with .01g resolution - it weighs both small coins and large drone parts equally bad with as much as +- 10g on the end closer to 1000g and +-.5g on the end closer to 0g and neither is acceptable for what I'm doing. I ended up throwing it out and buying the small scale above for weighing out coins and small components and a larger scale with 1g resolution for weighing out entire drones that I build as well as larger components and both are accurate enough for what I bought them for.
I've had mine for about 15 years still works like new. My wife recently bought herself a new one thats exceptionally nice, I guess she got tired of shareing with me. We don't partake but both were purchased at a head shop.
This one works GREAT for me. Can handle my Aes Grave (BTW, this was exactly what the Seller said it weighed, also) Handles up to 200g, 0.01 increment (higher tolerance than what is needed for Ancients), and was around $15 USD.
The calibration weights are very necessary to maintain accuracy. If you live near a college or university with a chem department, ask if they will weigh your cal. weight on one of their .0001 or better balances. Most will do it as a good relation gesture and it only takes a few minutes. Usually the provided weights are only a smidgin off. Mine were .00007g off on their best $10 grand balance. Probably due to plating thickness, but darn impressive for mass produced calibration wts.
I was wondering why my scale came with a warning on the carton... "the scale must only be used for legal intentions" ....Just kidding (I already knew why)
i really like the price on these, but that dang shipping is as much as the scale.. it's like their movies $5.00 for the dvd and $4.99 for shipping..those amazing amazionians!
Hey for about ten bucks, it works for me anyway... I didn't purchase it to weigh coins at the time. I wanted to weigh the tracking force on the stylus on my turntable, so I guess that gets real close to illegal substance use.
Do you mean one like this? My wish list is getting out of hand when I want one of these to go with my pre-money cast bronze collection. this piece is offered in an auction as Medieval, but I have seen similar ones offered as Roman.
