Hi, I am just getting started and planning to sort through a bunch of pennies. I have been looking at various types of magnifying lenses on Amazon and am not sure what magnification I will need to see well when looking for errors, etc. I was thinking of buying one on a flexible stand - most have 2x lenses with a 5x or 6x power loupe. For example: http://www.amazon.com/Fulcrum-20073-101-Multiflex-Desk-Magnifier/dp/B003UHVWYS/ Or, should I get the more powerful 10-30x loupe set like this? http://www.amazon.com/SE-2pcs-Jewelers-Loupe-10X-20X/dp/B001C9JC34/ Or, is it a good idea to have both, especially since the stand one has the LED lights? I'm curious what your examination table set up is like. Eva
i'd say both of the would be good, but to start of, i'd go with the 10x-20x and 30x IMO. although you wouldn't use the 30 very often.
If your only looking to grade coin a 10x is all you would need. TPG like Anacs,Icg, Ngc and Pcgs only use a 10x to grade with. :kewl:
chinese 30x I use a cheap 30x loupe, which equates to about 10 x power on the US ones. It was only like 3 bucks off amazon and works great.
Yeah, the 2pcs Jewelers Eye Loupe set I pointed out is only $5.25 with free shipping-definitely fits my budget! I will get it.
It may fit your budget, but you may not like it in the long run. I would suggest getting a Bausch and Lomb 7X loupe, as it is a good size and actually give great definition for error searching, etc.
Actually, no they don't. Over 90% of all grading done by a TPG is done with the naked eye. And on the few times when they do use a glass for grading, they never use anything stronger than 5x. And 5x is what collectors should be using for grading as well - but only when it is needed.
Reading this question I believe it is a two part question. I am in the same quandary as I have a "bunch" of cents to look through - I'm talking thousands. While the above replies are great for looking at cents that have been identified as errors, the preliminary work to get to this stage also needs to be addressed. Scanning "bunches" of cents using a loupe or a magnifier on a stand is very time consuming as each coin must be picked up and looked at individually. My thought is to scan "X" number of coins on a desktop with a hand held magnifier to eliminate those that are undesirable and then use the loupe and/or stand on the remaining for final analysis. I have a 3" hand held magnifier which is probably a 2X but these old eyes just can't see the date or mint mark clearly so I am in the market for something more powerful. Unfortunately those for sale in a store are wrapped in plastic which does not provide a good view of what you will actually see.
I think for "Grading" a coin, you would not want to use a good or high magnification, but for error verification or mintmark authentication (like between the type 1 and type 2 S mintmarks on the 1981 proof coins) you would need anywhere from about a 7 to 20 X or more. Some things cannot be differentiated with the human eye or even a 5X. It also depends on the skill and eyesight of the grader/authenticator. I recently took a class from the ANA in fundamentals of counterfeit detection, and was instructed before going that "Students should bring: lOx loupe magnifier (lOx Triplet loupe recommended)". At the seminar I was told that basically a 10X was considered a "good" for numismatic purposes. So good magnification does have it's purposes. Personally, I can not always tell the differences in some coin's characteristics without a loupe. Maybe I will be much better in several years when I have more experience behind me, but for now I don't hesitate to use my loupes.
A B&L 5x (most of the time) and a 10x for small details, like the 2009 6 Finger DDR's. You'll appreciate good quality glass, clearer images and easier on the eyes.
I use 3 inch round, 4x glass for just looking. I even use it sometimes when examining pictures of coins on the computer. That large field of view is great, it allows you see the entire coin at one time. But if I want to look closely at a coin then I'll use my B & L 5x. It has the largest field of view of any 5x - 1 1/2 inches. But if I need to look really close at something then I'll use a lighted 10x glass that has a 1 inch field of view. Most loupes (7x or stronger) only have 3/4 inch field of view. And the size of the field of view is as important as, or maybe more important than, the strength of the glass. You bet that good magnification has it's purposes. But it is the purpose that determines the strength of the glass that you should be using. Variety attribution, counterfeit detection, 10x is pretty much always needed and often much stronger for counterfeit detection. Some counterfeits can only be detected at 50 or 60x. But it is important that collectors realize that no 1 loupe will serve all of their purposes. The triplets typically have a very small field of view. So even though they offer you different magnification levels, you still have that field of view problem to deal with. Best advice is to own several loupes of various strengths and to use each one for its intended purpose.
A quality loupe is worth paying for. They are much clearer,easier on the eyes. My eye doctor said that one of the reasons my right eye is the way it is,is from using a cheap (plastic lens) loupe causing more eye strain. A good B&L 7x glass triplex is only about $30/$40 and you will think it's a 100x better after using a cheap 30x,and less strain on the eyes
I use a 10x loupe, but be careful with the LED lights. The type of lights can affect coin grading. CFL bulbs may degrade the coin. For example: A MS 65 coin would look like MS 63. Same with sunlight. Best is a non-fluorescent light-bulb 60 watt or higher to get an accurate grade. LED lights and flood lights make a MS 65 coin look like a MS 67 coin. (what you see coin infomercials use)
