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30x loupe? (Highest power hand magnifier we use?)

lsicalsica Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭✭

So I picked up a real 30x loupe. Not a super expensive one, so the optics aren't fantastic. The usable area is small, and the required focus distance is sooooo small you can't even focus on a coin in a slab. Still it is kind of fun to be able to actually count flow lines on a coin 😉 But this brings up a question...what's the highest hand held magnifier we use here (before we decide "welp time to break out the coin mictoscope")

Philately will get you nowhere....

Comments

  • johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 28,334 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'll stick with the microscope and the 10x loupe , that just me.

    Ps get a 20x ifin you wanna see better, jmo)

  • lsicalsica Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭✭

    @johnny9434 said:
    Ps get a 20x ifin you wanna see better, jmo)

    Ya got one of those too. Much more practical than the 30x

    Philately will get you nowhere....
  • ifthevamzarockinifthevamzarockin Posts: 8,865 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I have a 60x

    It's a tough one to learn to look through, focus area is very small. I don't use it very much.

  • johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 28,334 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I have a 30x somewhere and I remember it being hard on the eye.

  • CopperindianCopperindian Posts: 1,462 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Highest for me is a 20x. It’s good to zero in on variety details. Mostly though, a 10x.

    “The thrill of the hunt never gets old”

    PCGS Registry: Screaming Eagles
    Copperindian

    Retired sets: Soaring Eagles
    Copperindian

  • @ifthevamzarockin said:
    I have a 60x

    It's a tough one to learn to look through, focus area is very small. I don't use it very much.

    Picture?

  • ifthevamzarockinifthevamzarockin Posts: 8,865 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Married2Coins said:

    @ifthevamzarockin said:
    I have a 60x

    It's a tough one to learn to look through, focus area is very small. I don't use it very much.

    Picture?

    I'm not able to take a picture through the loupe to show how strong it is. ;)

  • KiwiNumiKiwiNumi Posts: 128 ✭✭✭

    My highest is a 40x. It was pretty cheap, i believe around $30. I haven't gotten into nice Loupes yet. Do you guys think it's worth it to upgrade?

  • ifthevamzarockinifthevamzarockin Posts: 8,865 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @KiwiNumi said:
    My highest is a 40x. It was pretty cheap, i believe around $30. I haven't gotten into nice Loupes yet. Do you guys think it's worth it to upgrade?

    There is little need to have something stronger than a 40x. ;)

  • RayboRaybo Posts: 5,315 ✭✭✭✭✭

    5X B&L is all I need.
    Why the heck do you need anything more?

  • Married2CoinsMarried2Coins Posts: 559 ✭✭✭

    @ifthevamzarockin said:

    @Married2Coins said:

    @ifthevamzarockin said:
    I have a 60x

    It's a tough one to learn to look through, focus area is very small. I don't use it very much.

    Picture?

    I'm not able to take a picture through the loupe to show how strong it is. ;)

    Is this smaller than a dime?

  • ifthevamzarockinifthevamzarockin Posts: 8,865 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited October 30, 2024 9:35PM

    @Married2Coins said:
    Is this smaller than a dime?

    No. it's the same size as a normal loupe.

    Edited to add photo:

  • tincuptincup Posts: 5,139 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Though there have been a few times a higher magnification might have been nice, I only use a 7x and a 10x and get by quite well. 7x for grading anfd 10x for varieties etc.

    ----- kj
  • SeattleSlammerSeattleSlammer Posts: 10,009 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited October 31, 2024 11:04AM

    I feel like everything looks bad at 30x … unless you’re really into very subtle varieties/overdates.

  • coastaljerseyguycoastaljerseyguy Posts: 1,350 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Kills your eyes and only needed for those VAMS like @SeattleSlammer noted above. FOV is too small.

  • BillJonesBillJones Posts: 33,981 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I have a scope at home and a 20x and 10 x in my coin show bag. I mostly use the 10x along with an old 3x I've used for many years.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • coinkatcoinkat Posts: 23,097 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Use the loupe that provides the greatest level of confidence in the coin you are considering… it is your collection and you need to be satisfied. Just have reasonable expectations as the look of the coin under 20x or 30x or whatever loupe you choose.

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

  • goodmoney4badmoneygoodmoney4badmoney Posts: 1,234 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I've got 5X and 10X loupes, never needed anything more powerful.

  • divecchiadivecchia Posts: 6,635 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 1, 2024 11:01AM

    I use no loop most of the time. If I need to because I am on the fence about a mark I see with the naked eye, then I use a 3X or a 5X loop. Anything more than that, I would never buy any coins.

    Donato

    Edited for grammar.

    Hobbyist & Collector (not an investor).
    Donato's Complete US Type Set ---- Donato's Dansco 7070 Modified Type Set ---- Donato's Basic U.S. Coin Design Set

    Successful transactions: Shrub68 (Jim), MWallace (Mike)
  • kruegerkrueger Posts: 865 ✭✭✭

    I collect loupes and have all the ones below.
    These I recommend.

    3x4x=7x Bausch and lomb. Nice large lenses. No longer made but still on many B&M shelves or walls .
    7x B&L, 5X Eschenbach ( used by many PCGS graders).
    3x6x=9x Zeiss or Eschenback very popular loupes. All in one, both high quality. The modern version of this Zeiss
    Is used by NGC graders. They wear them on lanyards at shows.
    Both are more expensive then those mentioned in the first two lines above
    For a 10x loupe get a hastings triplet ( this is a manufacture method not a vendors name).
    B&l makes a good one, , but a small lens. Vigor 10x, 20.5mm triplet lens is very good! Their smaller lens version was used by J.T. Stanton cherrypickers author for varieties.
    Bolomo makes a 10x triplet which is quite good and is reasonably priced.
    If you use a 20x to view varieties as the show Table "PCGS Expert " does make sure it has a triplet lens.
    Triplets are clearer and brighter when viewing.
    Also acromatics lens are better on color, aplanatics have flater fields meaning less distortion around the edges.
    I have never noticed the improvement in color on an acromatic. Hard to tell .

  • DennisHDennisH Posts: 13,991 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @PerryHall said:
    You can't trust many of the magnification designations shown on these loupes especially if they are imported from China. I've seen some marked 30X that are comparable to the brand name loupes (Zeiss, Eschenbach, B&L, etc.) marked 10X.

    This reality can not be overstated.

    When in doubt, don't.
  • lsicalsica Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭✭

    Ya figured most people would consider REAL 30x fairly useless (I figure the people who need to look at stuff like die markers have invested in a coin microscope). I actually get a decent amount of use out both my 10x and 20x. And @PerryHall there does seem to be about 3X discrepancy (10x vs "30x"/20x vs "60x") between cheap "loops" (yes I've seen that spelling on listings) and decent ones.

    Philately will get you nowhere....

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