Best Loupe To Use?

ElGrande · October 3, 2005 11:45AM

Can I get some input as to which type of magnification level i should use when buying a loupe. I've heard that 10x is plenty, Bausche & Loaume good? Let me hear your recommendations. I'm the newbie here, Thanks

Centimental Guy

CarlWohlforth · October 3, 2005 11:51AM

Loupes are good for looking for doubling and other errors or when looking for VAMs and such. They are not useful when judging the grade of a coin. 10x is the absolute max one should consider. I think most loupes have the optical quality requred, especially in the center of view.

wayneherndon · October 3, 2005 11:58AM

My favorite is the Hastings Triplet. I use 5X and 7X.

WH

BigE2 · October 3, 2005 12:01PM

<< Can I get some input as to which type of magnification level i should use when buying a loupe. I've heard that 10x is plenty, Bausche & Loaume good? Let me hear your recommendations. I'm the newbie here, Thanks

Centimental Guy >>

Welcome to the board!! Regarding loupes: 10x is more than plenty for coin work. I like a 5x (B&L Packette. Little square slide-out job) for quick looks and a 10x (harris import) for details.
If you look at a lot of coins quickly, go with the 5x as it has a larger viewing area. the 10x is great for detail but if your looking a Morgan, you're going to be moving it around alot.

5x B&L around $8 to $10
10x Harris $11

Hope this helps!!!

astrorat · October 3, 2005 12:01PM

B & L and Ziess make great loupes. Be sure you get a Hastings triplet loupe (Hastings is a type and not a brand). These have little or no distortion at the edge of the lense. The B & L lenses run $40-45 and the Zeiss about 4 time more. If you are checking for varieties, then a 10x should work. If you are using the loupe for grading (i.e. verifying a grade after viewing without magnification) then a 7x is just fine.

Lane

foodude · October 3, 2005 12:03PM

For grading, a 5X Eschenbach- there is no substitute

FatMan · October 3, 2005 12:05PM

Zeiss D36 3x-6x-9x

DaveG · October 3, 2005 12:32PM

I use a B&L 5x Packette for grading and viewing. (Most knowledgable folks recommend that you don't use anything stronger for grading.) The Packettes are nice and cheap, so I never worry about losing it. I've had mine for about 14 years. I'd probably lose a more expensive magnifying glass in three months.

If you look for VAMS and other varieties, you might want a 10x. Many folks like B&L Hastings triplets; the "coin snobs" prefer the Zeiss lenses (they do cost a lot more!)

Check out Brooklyn Gallery for discounted prices and fast service!

FatMan · October 3, 2005 12:37PM

<< the "coin snobs" prefer the Zeiss lenses >>

Hey DaveG, thanks for the kind words.

RYK · October 3, 2005 12:44PM

<< the "coin snobs" prefer the Zeiss lenses >>

Guilty as charged!

Shamika · October 3, 2005 12:51PM

I'm a "Hastings triplet" man myself. 7X and 14X.

USAROK · October 3, 2005 12:53PM

<< << the "coin snobs" prefer the Zeiss lenses >> >>

Ouch! I'm a "coin snob" and didn't even know it. Oh well, I'm in good company with FatMan and RYK!

FatMan · October 3, 2005 12:56PM

<< Ouch! I'm a "coin snob" and didn't even know it. Oh well, I'm in good company with FatMan and RYK! >>

And I just bought one to give to Tassa for her birthday this week. So on Thursday she can be a "coin snob" too. She will be so proud. Oh, and don't tell her, it's a secret.

foodude · October 3, 2005 1:00PM

And I just bought one to give to Tassa for her birthday this week. So on Thursday she can be a "coin snob" too. She will be so proud. Oh, and don't tell her, it's a secret

I got you covered. I sent her a PM and told her not to read this thread until after her birthday

(Just kidding)

NumisOxide · October 3, 2005 1:18PM

I use a Bausch & Lomb 10x Hastings Triplet loupe for variety and coin examination. The most I use if any for grading is a Bausch & Lomb 5x loupe.

Try Brent-krueger. That is were I bought mine and other coin supplies from.

jdimmick · October 3, 2005 2:29PM

I used to use the old B&L 5x slide out for years, but ponied up from being cheap and bought the Eschenbach 3+6=9 in St Louis this past year at the CSNS show. It is far superior to any thing I have used prior and I wont stand for anything lesser today. Well worth the money IMO. In actuality, when I view coins, I usually have already assessed a grade by plain eye-sight in about 4-5 seconds and then I loop them which either confirms or rejects my initial assesment, then look for marks, surfaces, etc.

jim

Newmismatist · October 3, 2005 2:51PM

From an Article I wrote several years ago (published in the Longacre Journal in December 2002 pertaining to Collecting Proof Indian Head Cents)

<< Magnifying Glass: Buy the best quality magnifying glass you can afford - If you are buying $5 coins, buy a cheap magnifying glass - it won’t matter, but if you are buying $500 coins, then you’d better buy a really good magnifying glass, and if you’re spending thousands of dollars for your coins, buy the very best magnifying glass - it will save you thousands of dollars!! My two favorite magnifying glasses are both German made and excellent for coin collectors: A Zeiss 3/6/9 or an Eschenbach 3/6/9. What?!! - never heard of them? Well, let me explain - both of these wonderful loupes have a large viewing area, and both have three different lens powers that can be used separately or together. (And no, I don’t have stock in either company and no, I don’t sell them). These magnifying glasses have two separate lens: a 3 power lens and a 6 power lens - each can be used separate from the other, or they can be joined together to have a 9 power lens - so without changing loupes, you can use a low power to look for toning and hairlines, then a medium power for minor defects and finally a high power for alterations and hidden defects. Note, I am told that the grading services use a medium power lens (5x) for grading - the higher power lenses are used to check die characteristics and alterations - both for grade alteration or counterfeiting. >>

Murphy · October 3, 2005 3:24PM

Of all the advice in this thread, I like this: buy 10x

The rest may or may not be true. I own Zeiss D40, B&L 7x and Belomo 10x. My favorite is the Belomo. The Zeiss is more lightweight/compact and suits me better for carrying in my pocket, but overall and especially for viewing, I like the Belomo!

michael · October 3, 2005 3:27PM

FatMan
Expert Collector

Posts: 4377
Joined: Nov 2002
Monday October 03, 2005 10:05 PM (NEW!)

Zeiss D36 3x-6x-9x

as per the above if you are not using this loope then you are really missing things looking at the coins you are trying to buy and enjoying the c oins you do already got when you are looking at them

beware of bargains in magnifying glasses parachutes and eye glasses

only buy the best as if you get this zeiss loope it will actually make you money in the long run by saving you from buying many coins that arte not good the zeiss is crysytal clear and with the 3x 6x 9x you got all you need in one loope

now if you really want to get the best then buy the 20x hastings triplet for really small things on a coin you need to look at but 75% of the time you will only use the zeiss

JadeRareCoin · October 3, 2005 4:50PM

Zeiss!!!

Best loupe on the market. Not just in terms of lens quality, but also manufacturing quality of the case and hinge mechanism. My background is product development and few companies and won my seal of approval with regard to overall quality. Zeiss is top of the line.

Cameonut · October 3, 2005 9:07PM

Zeiss D36 or the equivalent Eschenbach (I own both). IMO, these perform the same but I use the Eschenbach more because it feels better in hand.

Wider field of view than my B&L Hastings triplet that sits idle in my drawer.

The Zeiss and Eschenbach with the 3x, 6x and 9x have saved me thousands of dollars by revealing flaws that I might not have seen by using a different loupe. They are worth every penny.

Best Loupe To Use?

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