Newbie needs help buying magnifier
FloridaBill
Posts: 896 ✭
I’m 50; my eyesight is failing in regards to close examination. When I need to read small numbers, I’m always trying to balance the “distance vs. resolution” question.
This is new to me. Like all rebels, I thought I’d live forever and be forever young.
Anyway, I have recently bought several platinum and gold proof sets from the mint, as well as various other stuff (6 AGE 20th sets, 40 SF proof silvers, 70 ASE 20th sets, etc).
In my opinion, the “first strike” and “20 anniversary” designation will have no long term value in the market. The coins are what they are…regardless what anyone says…the coins are what they are, and they will speak for themselves!
So, given those assumptions, I am not in the least concerned about those artificial designations. I do, however, have a lot of very, very nice looking coins, and want to be reasonable (read economical) in the coins I send in for grading. I have made only one submission to PCGS; it was for several coins from the AGE 20th, they all came back 69. EVERY SINGLE ONE! Even the 4 Reverse Proofs I sent!
So, I’m asking for recommendations for a looking glass…
Thanks,
Florida Bill
This is new to me. Like all rebels, I thought I’d live forever and be forever young.
Anyway, I have recently bought several platinum and gold proof sets from the mint, as well as various other stuff (6 AGE 20th sets, 40 SF proof silvers, 70 ASE 20th sets, etc).
In my opinion, the “first strike” and “20 anniversary” designation will have no long term value in the market. The coins are what they are…regardless what anyone says…the coins are what they are, and they will speak for themselves!
So, given those assumptions, I am not in the least concerned about those artificial designations. I do, however, have a lot of very, very nice looking coins, and want to be reasonable (read economical) in the coins I send in for grading. I have made only one submission to PCGS; it was for several coins from the AGE 20th, they all came back 69. EVERY SINGLE ONE! Even the 4 Reverse Proofs I sent!
So, I’m asking for recommendations for a looking glass…
Thanks,
Florida Bill
0
Comments
My Registry Sets
Check these out FloridaBill...I use C for quick referencing, then grab a loupe if need be for extra fine examination.
"Keep your malarkey filter in good operating order" -Walter Breen
-- A collapsable plastic 5x Bausch & Lomb ($6 or so) for quickly viewing big coins.
-- A Sina 2-lens 5x-10x (about $12) for viewing small coins and big VAMs.
-- An ohmygosh precision 12x Eschenbach metal and glass ($100) for startlingly clear tiny details.
I use the Bausch & Lomb ALL the time.
Fred, Las Vegas, NV
glasses from spectroscopes, X-Ray machines, cameras and telescopes. Keep your eyes
open at flea markets and yard sales and you can also pick up things like pocket micro-
scopes. Some of these lenses are ground to a far higher precision than anything avail-
able on the market.
It sounds like you're most in need of a 5X glass with a wide field of view. These are com-
mon in reflecting telescopes. You can also get a scientific supply company catalog, but
most of the lenses in these will be at premium prices.
Save the holders when you find glasses. It's easier to hold them. Square lenses are nice
since they're easiest to hold.
have a Zeiss 3x6x9 loupe, and I like it a lot. I am also past the 50 mark and wear tri-focals. Hmmm. As with the combo of small loupes and tri-focals, I have to move the loupe around to get the coin in focus under my tri-focals, and it can be tiring if done for any long period of time. On the other hand, WOW, I didn't know what I was missing without one!! I paid @ $120 for the Zeiss, but it is clear from edge to edge.
it will pay for itself many times over
I'm coming to you here from my new computer center set up next to my new photo center. Eventually I hope to hook my computer directly to my camera to make it easier to download photos. As I was setting this up, buying the new desk at Office Depot, I spotted a small flourscent magnifying desk lamp for $29 and threw it into the basket. I love it. It has a flip top to keep the dust off of it and keep it from shining up when you're using it for general illumination. It can't get lost and it's very comfortable to use. Every desk should have one.
Optics maybe aren't as nice as the expensive ones but not bad at all. You never get off axis since the lense is so big. (I'm an experienced astronomer with a full set of Televue eyepieces so I have quite a bit of experience with optics.)
--Jerry
"Bongo hurtles along the rain soaked highway of life on underinflated bald retread tires."
~Wayne