Just wondering what power should I be using, i`ve noticed things on posted pictures that I can`t see with the glass I have . Your help is needed by this old guy, thanks:mouth:
Always take a good look at a coin without magnification before louping it. I use a 4X or 5X for grading. If I need to see more detail I use a 5X or 6X. I use a 10X or 20X for authentication or variety attribution only.
If you want to go easy on your eyes and see your coins in 3D, get a stereo microscope. I use a 2X-90X zoom which covers every power that is useful to me.
I'm a little on the old side so I need magnifing everything. I have those magnifing glasses in every room, in my cars, everywhere. Most are just 2+, 2 1/2+ or 3+. I carry a 3X or $X magnifier that opens and a 10X for just in case situations but that one is usually for loaning to people that look for really tiny stuff. At home on a table I have a stand type 3X with a small 10X insert and a light also. Then next to that is a pile of 3X, 4X and 6X glasses and one small 20X scope shaped one. Also, have several microscopes but haven't use them in years. There is a Scientific organization not far from me with two aisles of magnification items and they are cheap so why not. To sum it up if you can find them cheap enough, buy as many as you can. They are fun for lots of stuff besides coins.
Just a tip for looking at posted pictures: You can enlarge the picture (actually the entire screen) by holding the Control key down while using the wheel on your mouse. Roll if forward to go larger and back to get the picture back down to normal size. I find I don''t have to use a glass while I'm on the internet!
I was in the same boat, except I am not old. I paid $3200 for a set of new eye's. I have 20 15 in each eye now!! My grading has improved 100% since my operation.
My vision was 20/90 4 years ago because of a bad cornea because of the grafts not healing I have had mt 3rd cornea transplant in april. At this time it is healing good so far i have 20/60 eyesight so i know what it is like to not to see the errors etc.I cant even see the mint without a good magnify glass it is very hard but i do a little every day and just enjoy the hobby.
I'm old but and have fair eyesight, 20/30 both. But I'm farsighted so MM's and dates are very difficult to see. I have a cheap desk magnifier with 13W lamp and 5X, 3.5" lens with a 7x spot lens on it. Well that wasn't enough so I taped a 2X , 3.5" lens on top of it. This came from a broken hand held mag. Everythings fits well and magnification is stronger. I'm happy. What would be the mag. power with this rig? Is it 7X or 10X? Thanks, zeke.
I have a 2-3x I use for quick checking. I also have a 3x/6x/9x that I use to check for varieties, doubling, etc. I keep thinking about a stereo microscope with camera that would cover the 10x/60x range, but then I realize that I wouldn't have enough use for it to justify the price.
