I'm kind of thinking about getting a loupe. Do you have a loupe? If so, what magnification do you prefer to examine your coins with? I don't want this to grade coins, but more to look at details, etc. I don't think I need anything as powerful as the microscopes that some of you on here use frequently, so I'm not talking about getting quite that much of a close up view. I was thinking maybe 7x or 10x, but I know they also make loupes that are 16x. So, what do you think?
Most people use 5-7X for ordinary coin viewing. The one I use most is made with three lenses, 3.5X each, and by using 1, 2 or 3 at a time I have 3.5, 7 and 10.5X available, but I mostly use the 3.5 and very rarely use the 10.5 configuration.
With a loupe/magnifier you want the largest viewing surface you can get. For grading 5x is recommended. For close up viewing, if you see something that warrants a closer look - then 10x is recommended. If you are into varieties, then I might suggest a 16x.
