Purchasing a scale

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by Geod, Mar 7, 2017.

  1. Geod

    Geod Member

    What scale would you purchase to weigh coins?
     
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  3. Dougmeister

    Dougmeister Well-Known Member

  4. Geod

    Geod Member

    Wow That's cheap. Is it accurate enough to distinguish between zincolns and coppers?
     
  5. Lawtoad

    Lawtoad Well-Known Member

    Most digital scales (even the inexpensive ones) are accurate enough for hobby use. I would avoid used scales as you do not know what they might have been used for prior, so buy new.
     
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  6. Aquahollic

    Aquahollic ֍ E Pluribus Unum ֎

    Tanita 1479J2.
     
  7. Paul M.

    Paul M. Well-Known Member

    I have this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012IJCI1Y

    It costs around $30. It has a 50g weight limit, accurate to .001g, and comes with calibration weights. I primarily use it to weigh ancients and it works great for pretty much anything except the largest bronzes. It's also very repeatable. Great little machine.
     
  8. BooksB4Coins

    BooksB4Coins Newbieus Sempiterna

    I know a few people who used to use HF scales for said purpose, although I cannot confirm it was the same one, nor have I even looked at it.

    That said, if you do take this route, Harbor Freight has 20% off coupons (check online) that you can use to save even more.
     
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  9. SuperDave

    SuperDave Free the Cartwheels!

    To be relevant for coins, a scale should have a resolution of 0.01g. There are coins for which 0.1g is outside the allowable weight tolerance, making that resolution useless for considering authenticity.
     
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  10. rmpsrpms

    rmpsrpms Lincoln Maniac

    I bought a Chinese one that goes to 10g with 1mg resolution for ~$17. I think I over paid but it was "guaranteed accurate". From my tests it seems to be accurate within 2mg.
     
  11. Paul M.

    Paul M. Well-Known Member

    Mine has similar accuracy, 5x the weight limit, and is only twice as much (shipping included).
     
  12. rmpsrpms

    rmpsrpms Lincoln Maniac

    When I bought the 10g scale, I also bought a 2kg scale accurate to .1g. The 10g was for coins, while the 2kg was for small packages. I think both together were <$30.
     
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  13. Muzyck

    Muzyck Rabbits!

    Isn't "accurate within 2mg" a bit of an oxymoron? o_O
     
  14. Paul M.

    Paul M. Well-Known Member

    Huh? It has a display resolution of 1mg and measurement accuracy of +-2 mg.
     
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