That's what I was going to say. The curl on the 9 looks good. Show the whole obverse as a weakly struck LIBERTY is another marker.
In order to assist with this particular coin, we'll need photos. Unfortunately this can be easier said than done, I know, but due to other forms of so-called "doubling", it's necessary. As for your latter question, much would depend on your wants or needs, especially considering the fact that some equipment can get quite costly. If new to this and just starting out, making use of what you (may) now have (loupe and a camera??) may be the best option, but there are cheap "USB Microscopes" that, while of very low quality, can be sufficient in most cases for sharing online photos. Again, all really comes down to your needs or wants. Welcome to the forum, sir.
