How many times (X) magnifying glass that you use to check coins?.

These are what I keep within reach, nothing too sophisticated but something for most occassions:

• Agfa 8x Lupe,
• a tiny collapsible 26x piece,
• Tasco Illuminated 30x pocket microscope,
• a standard 10x glass (Branded "Los Angeles Times"),
• a larger 4" magnifier at 2.5x with a 5x bi-focal insert by Electro-Optix Inc.

 

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I need some ideas. I have tremors so I use a desktop 5x, with a 7X cats eye, illuminated magnifier. The lens is 3.5". Problem is when using the catseye I have to hold the coin so close I block out some of the light. Classic case is examining the " FG" initials on Lincoln cents. Do you think I should build a stand? Any suggestions?

 

Another method has unintentionally happened to me.
I have a good SLR digital camera, and I take hi res images of my coins.
(Reducing an image size is okay; you just can't enlarge it on a computer and expect good results.)
I'm seeing all sorts of features on my coins that I never saw with my eyes and therefore never investigated under magnification.
I just noticed that the Morgan Dollar in my Type Set has a die crack! (That's okay for me. I like die cracks.)
And I find die clashes this way too.
Of course the lighting has to come from the right angle.

 

Build a stand if you have the capabilities that way you can customize it yourself to your needs. Or get a hands free magnification device such as a low power 'microscope', something which may also have lights/illumination built into the area surrounding the subject, your coins, that you are viewing. Freeing your hands from holding the subject you are viewing should be the key, and lighting is very important both for viewing as well as making photos. Some microscopes allow a camera to be mounted to the optics and I believe you can get others which connect digitally to you your computer and can capture images this way.

 

Here's the die crack I didn't know about until I imaged the coin.
I can't easily see the total extent of the crack
BUT
because of the picture I know it's there and I can now get my loupe out and examine the whole thing.

 

Thanks krispy. I'll try making a stand out of wood and then put plastic wrap over it to protect the coins. Otherwise I really like the micro scope with ability to attach a digial camera. I did try a digital microscope but that turned out to be a disaster for me. Couldn't keep it steady when trying to focus for one thing. Poor resolution, and not being able to see the whole coin too. Returned it!

 

I have a 5x for coins, a 16X harris for small details, and a hand held microscope for checking out mintmarks, overdates, etc. They suit me quite well.

 

10X all the time 20x for close work.

10X all the time 20x for close work. I can see most anything with these Baush and Lombe Hastings Triplets.
I suppose you can just use your eyes unaided but you must have some good eyes and that would not work for die varieties.
I do know of one dealer who buys a lot of coins and simply looks at them over his glasses at 12 inches, never uses a loupe at all.
Other than the strength I think the quality is of most importance of all,
cheap loupes give cheap results. Has a matter of fact when you get used to good loupes you cannot even see through junk ones.

 

......i start out with something like this. http://www.mageyes.com/Hobby.htm
.......and if it is interesting, i'll take another SERIOUS look with this.
http://www.sunrisedino.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=26

 

Don't you guys think that maybe we beat this subject to death?

 

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