Light bulbs for lamps at coin shows

AZDAVY

What do you folks use?
Thanks in advance

PeakRarities

60 watt equivalent LEDs at 3000k

AZDAVY

Thanks!

lilolme

For years the 'standard' bulb at coin shows (and most often supplied by the show) was the 100W incandescent bulb. With the 'crackdown' on the incandescent bulbs they are harder to get. Shows are implementing other types of bulbs. At the FUN two years ago they had at least 4 types of bulbs as we kept going back trying to get a mostly uniform set of bulbs. At the ANA they had some CFL bulbs (at least at some tables) that after warming up were good. 100 W equivalent (lumens) appears to be the most common. And the above 3000k or 2800k for some.

PeakRarities

You know what, I use the 60w equivalent in my lamps for photography and for taking videos, but 100w might be better at a show. I’ll try 100w at my local show tomorrow and let you know how it goes.

krueger

60 watt trueview. Easier on the eyes. Remember the light hits the coin and into your eye at close range.
I wonder how TPG Graders eyes do under 100WATTS all day every day . Seems brutal to me!
CFL'S ---Experts say do not use for grading! Plus very very bright and harsh on your eyes.
Protect your eyes. Maybe bring your own bulb and screw it in the dealers lamp base for your examinations.
We bring our own loupes why not your own bulb. Lighting just as important! Ceiling Bourse lighting is the worst.
Ask to take to a table with a good lamp an bulb. Proper lighting to find and use on the Bourse is very very difficult problem.

hummingbird_coins

@krueger said:
60 watt trueview. Easier on the eyes. Remember the light hits the coin and into your eye at close range.
I wonder how TPG Graders eyes do under 100WATTS all day every day . Seems brutal to me!
CFL'S ---Experts say do not use for grading! Plus very very bright and harsh on your eyes.
Protect your eyes. Maybe bring your own bulb and screw it in the dealers lamp base for your examinations.
We bring our own loupes why not your own bulb. Lighting just as important! Ceiling Bourse lighting is the worst.
Ask to take to a table with a good lamp an bulb. Proper lighting to find and use on the Bourse is very very difficult problem.

Or better yet, you could take a lighted magnifier if lighting is an issue.

lilolme

@krueger said:
60 watt trueview. Easier on the eyes. Remember the light hits the coin and into your eye at close range.
I wonder how TPG Graders eyes do under 100WATTS all day every day . Seems brutal to me!
CFL'S ---Experts say do not use for grading! Plus very very bright and harsh on your eyes.
Protect your eyes. Maybe bring your own bulb and screw it in the dealers lamp base for your examinations.
We bring our own loupes why not your own bulb. Lighting just as important! Ceiling Bourse lighting is the worst.
Ask to take to a table with a good lamp an bulb. Proper lighting to find and use on the Bourse is very very difficult problem.

.
Your response appears to be for a person grading coins and/or a person reviewing/grading coins at a show. This might be the correct interpretation of the OP and I have in general used at home a 60 to 75W incandescent bulb (yeah getting used to LED).

However, I took the OP to be asking what type of bulb is used at a typical show table to light up the display cases and the coins inside the cases for viewing through the case . A wider area and from a greater distance versus placing a single coin under a lamp for grading.

At shows some of the people will bring a tensor or halogen lamp to review/grade some coins. While this might be 'harsh' it is what some will use at times as it brings to life other potential details (bad or good). Oh and these are some top graders. At shows I have watched people do a multitude of things when looking at a coin. Yes, their experience would play a role in what they do. But really no way to have a table setup to satisfy all. So sure bring your own bulb if needed or lamp to plug in (one will also see this sometimes in auction lot viewing).

Anyhow the answer for me would vary depending on if addressing what one does for reviewing/grading a coin versus what is typically used to light up a display cases full of coins. And I note typically used because just like watching the variance in people reviewing a coin there can be just as much in the lighting choices at some tables (florescent tubes, ring lights, bulb variance, none but convention lights....).

AZDAVY

Light bulbs to light up a display case of coins. Thanks for the detailed explanations.

Cougar1978

100 watt.

Typekat

When I view auction lots, I bring along a small desktop halogen lamp.

Those little suckers burn hot, but they will show you stuff

• especially hairlines

that you need to see before you write a check.