Coin Microscopes

Cladiator

I've heard some good things about the "Coin Scope" numismatic digital microscope. This is the only one I've ever heard of though...are there any other types or brands of items like this.

Click here to see the "Coin Scope"

sliderider

Nice, and at $249, it's easy on the wallet, too. I'd definitely use one of these with my laptop. Minimizes risk of accidetal damage, too. Scan the coin then scrutinize it on your monitor, instead of fumbling it around with your fingers under a loupe. Something like this could make a big impact if enough people buy them. It would definitely improve the grading skills of whoever owns one by an order of magnitude.

BaronVonBaugh

I use an intelplay QX3 computer microscope. It works great on raw coins, but I have never tried it on a slab. I think you can get one off ebay for $30 - $50. Much cheaper than the one you were looking at. If you don't like it you really aren't out much money!

JoeHolt

I have a QX-3 ill take 55 shiped for it has very little use on it and I get better everytime I do use it Have box and all the paper work with it

Cladiator

I checked out the QX3 and it looks pretty cool. I have a couple questions though. What is the picture resolution, are they grainy or high quality photos? Are you able to save the image to your computer hard drive? What format is the image...jpg, mpeg, etc...? Is there any way one of you guys can post a pic taken by your QX3?

-R

ccex

The QX3 microscope is a useful toy for coin collectors. It was made by Intel and marketed to children. I bought mine about 2 years ago when Intel discontinued the product and offered them for sale on their website for $32 including shipping. (Mine included an Intel Sound Morpher and software called "Really gross", for presenting pictures of bugs and snot!) Remaining unsold stock seems to have been sold to a company called Sonic Blue.

The QX3 comes with a TWAIN driver for Windows ("Totally without any intersting name"). This will let you import images from the QX3 into any graphics editing program. The QX3 will magnify at 10X, 60X, or 200X only. The included overhead light source is OK for 10X and 60X, but you will probably need additional lighting for 200X.

Here is a typical image captured by my Intel QX3+, of the LIBERTY on a Barber Dime.

BaronVonBaugh

Yes you can save them to your hard drive. I don't have any pictures currently saved. If nobody posts any I will try to take some and post them tomorrow.

sliderider

I'm going to try to pick up one of the Intel ones since they go so cheap. If I run into any problems that I can't overcome on my own or if I start to feel silly using it, then I'll consider the coin scope.

Snoodle

This is so funny!

I am a newbie to coins. I enjoy reading people's threads, as there is so much to learn from people who have been collecting for many years. I have to laugh because I have the Intel QX3 Digital Microscope and have been using it to image some coins. I too bought this from Intel for 32 bucks (even got the sound morpher thingy.)

A word of Caution before you run out and nab one off of E-bay: I don't know that it will work on Windows XP systems. I have to run mine on my older Win98 machine. Which by the way just imploded yesterday

Is anyone running their QX3 on a Windows XP system? If so, I could sure use a driver.

-Chris...

sliderider

Win2k/XP driver info

sliderider

I was do some surfing and came across this.

Motic Digiscope

Cladiator

Ok so my new question is all these devices talk about their maginifaction abilities.....can they take photos at 1x mag.....just real size photos?

seanq

I use the QX3 all the time. Here is a group of 60x pics to show you what it is capable of.



A few pointers:

- you can't get a 1x picture with it, for macro pictures I still rely on a flatbed scanner or digital camera;
- the images are uploaded at 140dpi, if you don't go too big you can get decent resolution on a monitor;
- to get the scope to focus on a slabbed coin properly, you will have to cut away the protective shroud aroud the lens. It is made of soft blue molded plastic, and I snapped it away easily with a pair of pliers. This will also help you get more light around the coin without imparting a blue tint on the pictures.


Sean Reynolds

earlwbollinger

I have a QX3 as well, it works pretty good, but I had to cut down the shroud a little so it could focus on coins in slabs and holders.
If you cut down the shroud you can use better lighting for the coin than the little white LED they include (which actually has a slight blue shift to it).
All these digital microscope cameras can only take pictures at up to a 640x480 resolution. So you can lose that fine detail in some cases.
Once you get used to them, it beats squinting through a jewelers loupe.
The disadvantage of the QX3 is it only supports a 640x480 screen, so if you run your PC's screen at higher pixel resolutions, it'll cause the desktop icons to get rearranged on you.

Another possiblity is the Kodak MDS100 digital microscope, it works very well, and you can usually pick them up pretty cheap off of Ebay. Unfortunately Kodak discontinued the MDS100, so the software will only support Windows 95, 98, and ME now.
Kodak also has a MDS 120 and a MDS 290 but I don't know much about them, but they look to be really good.

Some optical microsopes have 35mm camera mounts and adapters, thus you could get a digital 35mm SLR type of camera and use it in real time with the microsocope and PC as well. Also some of the digital cameras have software that allow you to view and process images in real time on the PC, plugged into your USB port.

kryptonitecomics

I just bought one just now at this site


Intel QX3


$57.00 shipped.............from the pictures I've seen it will work just fine for my purposes