Quik Question....the best coin loupe?

[neilgin1]

Experienced elders,

what would be a very good affordable (lighted) coin loupe you would recommend......lots of choices out there, and I'm not afraid to say "i don't know" which would be the one. Surely appreciated, neil

[Kurr]

Not really a loupe, but the power factor and the fact that you could photo and use an image zoom...

You seen these yet?

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1& ... microscope

or make your own, vid shows some good coin shots

[henrysmedford]

see--http://realcent.org/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=20347&hilit=+loupe

[silverflake]

I just use a generic triplet. Plastic framed, 3 lens loupe. 5X, 10X, 15X. If I want to read a date keep the 5X, if I really want to 'see' the date or other details, add the second lens for 10X then if I really want to dig and see the edges of the lettering or if Lincoln has 6 fingers I pull it up to my face and use all 3 lenses for 15X. I think I paid $9.95 at LCS and have used it continuously for the 5+ years I have had it. The phone apps are cool but I want to look at the coin in front of me rather than a pixelated picture. Weird of me maybe but, just old-schooly. Good

Keep stacking.

[neilgin1]

see--http://realcent.org/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=20347&hilit=+loupe

thank you Henry, i'm looking for what brand, make, attributes, etc. But I appreciate the thought.

[neilgin1]

Not really a loupe, but the power factor and the fact that you could photo and use an image zoom...

You seen these yet?

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1& ... microscope

or make your own, vid shows some good coin shots

Kurr, I REALLY appreciate that, but even if they were giving a "smart" phone away for free, i'd pass. but Bless you anyway.

[Recyclersteve]

Not really a loupe, but the power factor and the fact that you could photo and use an image zoom...

You seen these yet?

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1& ... microscope

or make your own, vid shows some good coin shots

That video is AMAZING. However, I'm too frugal to buy a new smartphone and sign a long-term contract, so I use a flip phone and buy minutes that will last much longer.

Question for anyone who knows- Could I buy a used iPhone or other Android phone just for this purpose and not have to buy minutes to use it? So, in other words, use it for some items (like the microscope) and keep it charged up, but not have to pay a monthly fee to keep the phone? I figure I can probably find an older phone pretty cheap if it just involves having the phone without fees for calls made and minutes used.

[NHsorter]

Yes, if you had a used iphone, you could use it for this purpose without buying any minutes or a contract or anything. The phone still functions, you just don't have a cell signal. You could even still use the phone to take pics & vids, email, browse the web, watch YouTube or many many other things as long as you have a Wifi signal.

[IdahoCopper]

If you have a scanner hooked to your computer, you can scan coins at very high res, and see all the details.

See examples:
http://www.idahocopper.com/images/1883-O-head.jpg

http://www.idahocopper.com/images/1901a.jpg

[Numis Pam]

Marking post for personal ref. and research.

[Doctor Steuss]

This is my favorite.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pocket-Folding- ... SwT~9Wl1Yk

The lense is plastic though, so it can get scratched fairly easily, but at the cost, it's not that big of a deal. Whenever I buy them, I pick up a few to give away, as I always get comments about it when I break it out at coin stores, etc.


I also have one of these that I really like (for when I am looking for iddy-biddy stuff). I have seen them as cheap as $2.60 shipped from Hong Kong.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/40x-25mm-Glass- ... xyF0pThU2G