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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Insider, post: 7824574, member: 24314&quot;]The type of light, the amount of light (lens size &amp; focal length) the lens lets in, and <b><span style="color: #ff0000">the experience of the examiner</span></b> far outweigh the quality and price of a hand lens. </p><p><br /></p><p>There are plenty of plastic lens combination magnifiers on the market for under $30 that work great for any experienced collector. </p><p><br /></p><p>I have:</p><p><br /></p><p>Two B&amp;L Hastings triplet sets of various powers. 20X,14X,10X, 7X.&nbsp; Have not used the 14X or 20X for as long as I can remember.&nbsp; I&#039;ll guess over a decade.&nbsp; I use the 10X or 7X on occasion.</p><p><br /></p><p>Carson 3X,5.5X,8.5X&nbsp; combo rarely used.</p><p><br /></p><p>B&amp;L Carousel 2X, 4X, 6X single lens rarely used but very neat and very slim.</p><p><br /></p><p>B&amp;L 4x,5X,9X combo rarely used.</p><p><br /></p><p>Over a dozen assorted lenses of 10X, 4X, 5X, and ?X magnifiers. Never used.</p><p><br /></p><p>And in daily use and highly recommended (I still have six in original box)...</p><p><br /></p><p>B&amp;L 3x, 4X, 7X combo.&nbsp;&nbsp; These are no longer made but there is a Chinese knockoff that works well.</p><p><br /></p><p>I use a stereo microscope <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie46" alt=":facepalm:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> all the time set at 7X.&nbsp; It beats any hand lens on the market!&nbsp; It is hell carrying it around though.&nbsp; <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie52" alt=":hilarious:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie52" alt=":hilarious:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie52" alt=":hilarious:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie52" alt=":hilarious:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie52" alt=":hilarious:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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