What scale do you use?

What numismatic scale offers the best quality and value for weighing coins?

 

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I use this scale I bought for less than 20 bucks. It's very accurate and handy to use. Ignore the junk around it.

 

Attachment seems to be invalid, could you repost?

 

I was right in the middle of editing it when the phone rang.
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-DIGITAL-JEW...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item563685f02c

 

I have a Becker analytical balance. Weighs in grams, accurate to four decimal places.

 

Wow, sounds amazing! What's the best scale with 0.01g readability under $100? Preferably would also have ozt. I would love to have four decimal places but that's probably not in my budget...

 

I ended up using a digital gun powder scale from Dillon Precision. It measures to an accuracy of 0.1 grain/0.01 gram. You can probably shop around & get the same scale private labeled by a different company for less money. Just be careful to look at the accuracy & repeatability specification for the scale.

Very best regards,
collect89

 

Yep, in his book Numismatic Forgery the author states to buy re-loader gun scales....very very accurate stuff for coins. Didn't know they even existed. When you buy a scale its important to have it accurate to at least 0.01th gram. If you're using it for authentication remember its useless on most good counterfeits as they often have the proper weight and/or fineness.

I don't have a scale, but I do need to buy one.

 

I can't say I'm very familiar with gun powder scales, is Dillon Precision the best? Does brand name matter at all?I'm not sure who the reputable private labels are in this field...

 

I've got a few different scales ane that is one of them. I've found for reloading shells, it is really reliable. Gun store where I got it was going out of buisness so it was really cheap. Can't be to carefull loading a .357 you know. Also, there is a science supply store not far from me that carries them for resonable prices so got one there too. www.wciplus.com Haven't been there for a while so not sure if they still have them at all. Not far from me so don't need to use their web site.
Another place I found one was at a jewlery supply place. But that one was for more than $20.

 

Please post a larger photo of your avatar.

Hello Belisarius,

Here is a link to digital scales on Ebay. I think you will find several listed with accuracy stated to 0.01 grams.

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=p3907.m38.l1311&_nkw=digital+scale&_sacat=See-All-Categories

The Dillon Precision "Determinator" scale probably costs more than $100 direct from www.DillonPrecision.com It just happens to be what I use at home. The Dillon scale is not as cheap or as portable as some jeweler scales on the market.

Please post a larger photo of your avatar.

Very best regards,
collect89

 

You want: http://www.oldwillknottscales.com

I used them for my scale. They're reasonably priced, and they provide a good product.

I can't remember which one I bought off-hand; I'd have to look at it when I go home. I do know I spent around $100, and I'm very pleased. My scale has good resolution for my purposes, and it is very precise and accurate. I have used it to weigh coins as a test of authenticity, and I use it to weigh gemstones.

 

Thanks for all the help, you have definitely provided some good suggestions and guidance. I may have talked myself up a notch, the My Weigh 250 and 500 look very tempting at oldwillknottscales.com. I can't think of a situation where I would need much more than one troy ounce of capacity (~31g), so I'm leaning toward the 250 (0.001g resolution, 50g capacity) vs the 500 (0.002g resolutions, 100g capacity). Do you need higher capacity for anything?

Regarding my avatar, there are two moderately better pics in the Error forum under the posting "Cent Error Coin?", and I will also post much better pics once my magnifiers arrive in the mail (hopefully today!) Found that one in a bank box of cents last week!

 

One thing to remember when purchasing a scale is just how often are you planning on using one. If very seldom, you really may just want to find the cheapest one even if not the most accurate one. If it's for one coin and then shelved for a rainy day, look for something reasonable. Of all the ones I've got I only weighed one coin once. Other than that they are for reloading ammo. If it was for coins, they would sit on a shelf.

 

I tend to prefer my balance. No power source required and a three beam is good to 0.00~ grams.

Course I learned a loose compression charge of IMR 2447 is just right behind a 240 grain HP in my .44.

Works great in both my Ruger & and my Marlin and my Morgans.

 

Dillion Precision is Top Dog

In bullet loading/reloading circles, Dillon Precision presses & related equipment are always among the best you can buy.

 

I'm rather partial to a Dillon RL550B consistently and accurately turning out .308 in once-fired, properly trimmed and cleaned Lake City brass, a Sierra 168 HPBT, 41.5 grains of IMR 4895, a Fed 210M primer...

Hard to use in coin collecting, though.

I do miss shooting HPR.

[sigh]

 

I picked up this scale based on your recommendation. I found the scale is accurate to about +/- .03 gm. I tried to calibrate a few times, each time with about the same result. What's your experience with the accuracy? Is this normal?

PG

 

The one that I use only measures 0.0 grams so sorry I can't help you with your 0.00 measurement.

 

Off-scale topic, but if you want the coolest thing ever, get a stereo microscope.