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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Insider, post: 2536815, member: 24314&quot;]IMO, I&#039;m qualified to add to this thread because I&#039;m a collector and hoarder of optics.&nbsp; I own almost two dozen different magnifying glasses (plastic, glass, cheap, expensive, triplets. combos) in various powers 2-3X to 20X; 2 portable monocular microscopes, seven stereo microscopes (all zoom except two), and one trinocular scope for photos.&nbsp; That said:</p><p><br /></p><p>The &quot;instrument &amp; magnification&quot; you use to examine things like coins depends on what you wish to see. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie46" alt=":facepalm:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie11" alt=":rolleyes:" 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" />&nbsp; I&#039;m posting like one of the &quot;pontificators&quot; here on coin talk who has me on &quot;IGNORE.&quot;&nbsp; <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie87" alt=":sorry:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Simply, what do you want to use it for?&nbsp; Authentication, grading, or &quot;micro&quot; varieties?&nbsp; Just as important as the magnification is the proper way to examine a coin.&nbsp; <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0)">More important than the magnification is the lighting</span>.&nbsp; A seminar instructor told his class that a high power microscope is absolutely worthless in a dark room!</p><p><br /></p><p>I like overkill.&nbsp; I wish to see everything possible on a coin.&nbsp; I use a stereo scope at its lowest power to view coins.&nbsp; That&#039;s 4.5 to 7X depending which one is on my desk.&nbsp; I get the first impression of a coin&#039;s grade and authenticity with my naked eye and a 100W lightbulb.&nbsp; Then it goes under the scope w/florescent light and the power is zoomed if needed.&nbsp; Then, I view it with a B&amp;L 3X-4X-7X plastic lens at 7X.&nbsp; This is the way I learned to examine coins.&nbsp; Something similar is often taught in seminars - eye first, then hand lens. </p><p><br /></p><p>When grading a coin it is best to have a lens that allows you to view the entire coin all at once while letting in LOTS OF LIGHT.&nbsp; 5X to 7X does this.&nbsp; Unless you are very good, this is too little power for authentication.&nbsp; So 10X to 16X is better in that case.</p><p><br /></p><p>Unfortunately, our eyes also dictate the type of lens we use.&nbsp; Some folks need a large glass hand-held instrument such as the images we see of Sherlock Holmes.&nbsp; Others, run around a coin show with high power little &quot;pee-shooter&quot; lenses.</p><p><br /></p><p>I recommend you purchase the best quality magnifier you can afford and more than one at different powers.<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie47" alt=":greedy:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />&nbsp; I have every power of B&amp;L triplet made.&nbsp; Of these, the 7X gets the most use.&nbsp; I cannot remember the last time I used the 20X; it was years ago. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie46" alt=":facepalm:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>My favorite all time lens is plastic.&nbsp; It is made by B&amp;L and has been discontinued.&nbsp; I still have a half dozen unused as they tend to &quot;walk away&quot; from the table at shows and I give them as gifts.&nbsp; If you look up B&amp;L 3X-4X-7X magnifier on the Internet you will find a modern knock-off.&nbsp; IMO, this is the very best beginner lens you can buy and grow into.&nbsp; Second choice is the Electro-Optic Model M-7 recommended above.</p><p><br /></p><p>Neither one of these is very useful for detecting &quot;micro&quot; varieties or for authentication.&nbsp; However, many of the best professional authenticators can do the job with 10X.</p><p><br /></p><p>Hope this helps.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #ff0000">EDIT</span>:&nbsp; DO NOT BUY the B&amp;L 4X-9X combo on the Internet <span style="color: #ff0000">as a first lens</span>.&nbsp; It does not let in enough light or allow you to see an entire coin!&nbsp; Go for the knock-off 3-4-7X.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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