Help with Loupes .

I use a 4" magnifying glass. It shows me everything I'm trying to see. I can move it closer or further for differant resolutions.

I suppose a loupe would be more appropriate but I'll drop 100s on a coin no problem than bulk and cringe at the cost of optics. Weird.

 

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The 3-6-9 format is probably optimal if you're going to have a single loupe, and the best quality optics is going to give you the best view of the coin. If you're looking at die varieties a lot, a 10x Hastings triplet is good to have. Higher magnification lenses are harder to use, because they need to be smaller and have a shorter working distance. For grading, I view the coin both with and without my glasses on. If I see something that warrants a close look, I reach for the 10x. It works quite well for me. For attributing coins at home, I have a stereo microscope.

The loupe one should buy is the one that is needed to fill in what's missing in your inspection process. If you have a 5x, but frequently miss small stuff or have a hard time seeing die varieties or details of alterations, get a 10x. If you have a 10x, but can't see a coin well enough to grade it, get a 3-5x. Everyone's different and has different needs. Comparison shop if you can.

 

I really like the Belomo lenses. Glass lens, very little distortion, nice metal housing, and very reasonably priced.

Been told that most of the TPG graders use Zeiss. Saw one TPG grader using an old grandma style hand held black plastic lens with a tiny light on it to examine a coin.

 

I use a hand held microscope attached to my laptop, desktop, and iPad. I can take pictures with it…here’s an example. Plus, they cost a whooping $30 or so on Amazon or eBay!

 

Forget that. 150. I’ll rent a teenager to check my coins.

 

this may sound a little nutty, but I like to see the whole coin through the lens first, so I have a 3" diameter magnifier (about 3x) with a handle that fits in my shirt pocket. Gives a good overview and with the right light easy to see hairlines, luster breaks, an so on. Mine is made in the US by Ultra Optix and cost <$10. For the close in stuff, mintmarks etc I have a 3+6 Eschenbach loupe (cost >$10)

 

I hope I don't embarrasse myself, sometimes all the knowledge can be a bit overwhelming on this site, but I'm trying to absord it all. It can be a bit intimidating as well. So here goes. I commented earlier about the loupe I have. At the time I was at work and couldn't finish my thoughts. I'm an Optician, been doing it for 49 years. A perfect loupe would have multiple powers, achromatic lenses which translate literally to "no color", meaning no color cast like you can get with some lenses from chromatic aberrations and bifringence, aspheric designed lenses made of High Index material. Hi Index refers to a lens made of denser material with a higher index of refraction, allowing for lighter thinner lenses. Multi Anti Reflection coatings with super oleophobic properties, smudge and finger print resistant. Aspheric lenses are designed to make lenses thinner and lgihter as I mentioned, for eyeglass wearers it has another benefit and that's minimizing the effect of a high plus or minus prescription by thinning the lenses, your eyes behind your lenses look more life size. Think of a old fifties flying sucer, that's how an aspheric lens looks from it's profile in a plus power, same with minus, but the effect is less noticable. TMI! Sorry.

 

You don' t need expensive Loupe. My 2 work great for what I need them for.

 

I have a 3x lighted magnifier I got free in the mail and a 10x Triplett I paid $10. For at a flea market

 

I would agree with this unless your equipment is interfering with optimal viewing and evaluation of coins. Sometimes you can know if this is the case, but other times it takes trying a different lens to see if you're missing something, or having someone validate that you aren't missing things because of your equipment.

 

I just use this cheap thing. I don't know where I got it or even what the magnification is. The main lens lets me see the whole coin and the insert (5x?) is good enough to see smaller details. I have a few other gizmos but this ends up staying on my desk. It fits easily in a pocket and there's nothing to fiddle with. If I really want to go crazy I'll pull out my kid's AmScope.

 

Wow, that was a lot of technical info. The scary thing is, it actually proved a point for me. My wife says I don't listen to her. Well she's also an Optician. She's been licensed and in the business for over 30 years. I understood what you wrote! That's scary that I really do listen to her even more than I thought!

Go Zeiss!

 

I keep a OtLite & a Bausch & Lomb close by.

 

By the way the Otlite has a led light built in. it helps when looking at a coin when a dealer is at the darkest part oy the bourse

 

See Above and...

The more powerful the hand lens, the smaller its lens diameter, the closer you need to get to the coin to be in focus and the less light of any type you use that reaches the surface of the coin!!!

Additionally, a low power lens lets you see the entire coin all at once. Much better than moving it all over several parts of the coin at a time.

 

Here is what I use almost 98% of the time, when I use a glass.



And RARE occasions at home ...



Sorry about the sideways pictures, but sometimes the websites refuse to accept the fact that the photo has been rotated.

 

You have had the world of loupes selection in the replies received.
FWIW, over the years I have had many, ranging n cost from 3-80 Dollars. What I learned is that I had to try the loupe in person. Nobody has the exact same vison, depth perception, color registration, curvature, degree and angle awareness.

When i went to one of the larger Shows, I would kick the tires, because there were always 6-10 booths that offered loupes.

While you have had wonderful suggestions, you would fare well by having the loupe 'fit" your strengths/limitations of vision.

I presently use an older model 5X (I have never used anything but 5X) Leuchtturm, with a thumb button for neutral illumination.

I have noticed I have a slight change in the last 3 years or so in my left eye, that necessitates lifting my lid slightly more to discern toning anomalies on the whole coin at the same time. About 5 months ago, I went in for a regular ophthalmological appointment and mentioned this. After the exam, it was clear that, while my vison had not changed significantly at all, the ocular muscle strength had a slight loss (very slight). It was suggested (I showed the Physician the loupe) that I should try to increase the radius of the glass from the present 1/2 " to 3/4". We tested that using his equipment. Yes, I immediately noticed I was not straining to lift the lid, and definitely had a clear full circumference ability to examine a coin (I brought a 1/2 dime and a Morgan with me).
I will be going to Bal'more, and will kick the glasses then.

I don't know if this helps, and you need to take into consideration that I am an old curmudgeon (really old according to her) white guy that wants to be loved.