My eyes hurt - what kind of magnifier to use?
moursund
Posts: 3,207 ✭✭✭✭✭
I haven't looked much at coins in a number of years.
Now I'm firmly in middle-age, and find it almost impossible to distinguish the mint marks on some circulated coins.
What sort of loup or magnifier is recommended?
Do people have good success with built-in LEDs?
Thanks!
am
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Comments
If all you want to see are date and lettering details, then a big round magnifying glass would work that would show most or all of the coin.
If you want to look at details, then a 7X or 10X would probably do the bill. Make sure you buy a nice triplet from a reputable lens company like Bausch and Lomb - you don't want to skimp.
Bausch and Lombe 7x triplet loupe is excellent for overall detail, a comfortable viewing distance (eye relief), and a wide field of view.
For more details, I’ll use a 10x Nikon triplet which is very sharp but has a more limited viewing angle and a smaller amount of eye relief.
Do you think those 'thread counter' type loupes work well?
My personal favorite is a 5x Eschenbach #1177.
Sure, but that would be a lot bulkier and you’d be tied to a power source if you wanted the illumination feature.
Well, that one in the picture is rechargeable. But i'm guessing that for $20 the optics won't be too great.
Zeiss 36D or the Eschenbach are both great magnifiers. They both have the 3X and 6X lenses that can also be used together for 9X magnification. They are both fairly expensive at well over $100 each. A great magnifier is the BelOMO 10X triplet. It's great for examining mintmarks and for authentication of coins. This is the most popular magnifier used by professional geologists to examine mineral samples. The triplet lens has coated optics and the quality is first class. Also, the price is quite reasonable. Check eBay for both new and used magnifiers. Frequently these magnifiers can be bought used at a significant savings.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
I use the Eschenbach 3/6/9. It's pricey (compared to the really cheap loupes you can buy) but the clarity is excellent and overall it's so much better. A few other high-end ones are similar. It'll last a long time, so I consider it a good investment. A friend once had me look at a coin in auction lot viewing with my $10 loupe, then his Eschenbach. That's when I saw the little X carved into the cheek on a 5-figure coin which the grading company missed. Good glass is worth it.
BelOMO 10X triplet is in my comfortable price range, and hopefully will make it 'easy on my eyes' to see fine details and mint marks.
Thanks for the advice, all...
Bausch and Lomb Hastings Triplet Loupes are great. The 7x is perfect for grading. They have no peripheral distortion.
Wizard Coin Supply: https://wizardcoinsupply.com/product/bausch-lomb-hastings-triplet-loupe-7x.html
The Eschenback magnifiers are loved by many folks, but I found the peripheral distortion too distracting, especially considering the cost.
See http://www.doubledimes.com for a free online reference for US twenty-cent pieces
Yah, I own a $50 gold eagle, so I guess I have a "4-figure" coin. But I do not expect to be dealing with 5-figure anything except maybe a new car.
5x Eschenbach. If you can find one.
I use Magnabrite light gathering magnifiers if I’m going to look at coins on my desk. Great if you are going to be looking at a bunch of coins and don’t want to strain your eyes. They are big and have great optics that don’t distort the coins and you can see the whole coin all at once. And they gather light so you don’t need a light on the magnifier. I was using a 3.5 inch one and liked it so much I just upgraded to a 4.5 inch one. If you do end up getting one, don’t get the generic ones that are 1/3 the price, they aren’t as well made and cause some distortion.
Here’s a quick pic showing what a slabbed half dime looks like under the Magnabrite with my iPhone camera about 1.5 feet away from it.
This is what it looks like to me when I look through it. This was with the phone camera right above the Magnabrite. It’s just 4x, but it allows me to see the details just fine with no eyestrain.
Mr_Spud
The BelOMO is a great loupe, but it is brass (I believe), so it is a bit heavy. Good durable item from Belarus.
I like an Ultra Optix magnifier, 4" diameter 2x mag with a 6x insert, for general coin viewing . It has a handle and fits easily into a shirt pocket. Then I have an Eschenbach 6+3 for the close up stuff.
It doesn't take too many saves even on inexpensive coins before the loupe can pay for itself, not to mention that it's just more pleasant to use in general. I used to rarely use my loupe because it hurt to look through. The Eschenbach is so good that any time I think it might be useful, I just whip it out, because why not.
I couldn't wait, and ordered BelOMO from amazon. You can all shake your head sadly...
It's a great magnifier and I'm sure you'll be happy with it.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
I may have the last field-operational 5x Eschenbach #1185.
They are now a bargain at $150 but were only $17 in 1983. I started stealing them from Larry Goldberg's desk after he overcharged me for one at the 1985 ANA.
30mm and the whole coin opens up in front of you at once.
It is rumored that a Russian oligarch has two in unopened boxes.
OK, I'm not as high tech as you guys. I have been using this magnifier at coin stores and coin shows since 2007. It is 7 X magnification. The pill bottle protects it from damage when in my pocket.
The one below, I use at home when looking at coins .
I carry a Zeiss 3x6x9x loupe with me every day. I have even used it several times at work on the shooting range. At home, for general scanning of multiple coins, I use a Sirchie fingerprint magnifier. Cheers, RickO
I have 10, 20 and 30 power loops.
When on the go, I use the 10 and the others if I need more definition.
I also have a "Koolertron" digital for doing coin roll searches at home.
Wayne
Kennedys are my quest...
i think i not only need a new loupe, but new glasses and perhaps new eyes. Squinting at details and mint marks is giving me a serious headache.
But I don't think my wife would be impressed if I got one of those 'Dr. Cyclops' magnifying glasses things.
When I was teaching at the ANA I learned that nothing is better than a HIGH QUALITY 6X loop from Eschenbach. You may not like the price, but your eyes will love you for it.