USB microscopes
Moderator: Daniel
Forum rules
Here's a link to how to post a topic with images in our community https://coinauctionshelp.com/welcome-to ... community/
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
You also agree to follow these guidelines. You must agree to these rules to be a member of this forum. NO SPAM! Spam is deleted within minutes, no spam will ever be left in our community.
1. Post a front and back image of your coin with a specific question about what you’re seeing or asking about and one coin per topic.
2. Please remove coin from the holder unless it’s US or an official mint case or unless it is graded by a grading service.
3. Images should be taken by a camera or cell phone camera, we ask that members don’t use images through a microscope screen.
4. Always start your own topic, please don’t ask about your coin or post your coin in someone else’s coin topic.
5. Do not send private messages about your coin unless an Admin ask you too and the same for sending emails through the board.
6. No spam. Do not post any links to your coin or other non-coin websites.
7. Always be respectful even if something makes you upset or you don’t agree with a member. You can always get a second opinion elsewhere. If you have an issue then politely ask an admin in an PM. PM’s are for issues, technical and personal, but not for coin questions (refer to number 5 on this list). Our community is not a soap box for complaining or drama, so please refrain from doing so here.[/size]
Here's a link to how to post a topic with images in our community https://coinauctionshelp.com/welcome-to ... community/
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
You also agree to follow these guidelines. You must agree to these rules to be a member of this forum. NO SPAM! Spam is deleted within minutes, no spam will ever be left in our community.
1. Post a front and back image of your coin with a specific question about what you’re seeing or asking about and one coin per topic.
2. Please remove coin from the holder unless it’s US or an official mint case or unless it is graded by a grading service.
3. Images should be taken by a camera or cell phone camera, we ask that members don’t use images through a microscope screen.
4. Always start your own topic, please don’t ask about your coin or post your coin in someone else’s coin topic.
5. Do not send private messages about your coin unless an Admin ask you too and the same for sending emails through the board.
6. No spam. Do not post any links to your coin or other non-coin websites.
7. Always be respectful even if something makes you upset or you don’t agree with a member. You can always get a second opinion elsewhere. If you have an issue then politely ask an admin in an PM. PM’s are for issues, technical and personal, but not for coin questions (refer to number 5 on this list). Our community is not a soap box for complaining or drama, so please refrain from doing so here.[/size]
- DSCoins
- Coin Guru
- Posts: 3459
- Joined: Thu May 16, 2019 7:47 pm
- Location: South central PA.
- Has thanked: 159 times
- Been thanked: 932 times
USB microscopes
I had to step away from coin roll searching and coin collecting in general for the last four or five months due to health issues. When I started back up I took something that Paul continually made mention of, on a lot of his posts to heart. We are looking to hard when using a USB microscope, in that you will see things that are really not there. I had slowly gotten away from using my USB microscope before my health issues. Having this time away from searching, it gave me a opportunity to think about all that Paul had said in the past. I had finally made up my mind because this, to stop using my USB microscope to search coins and purchased a 5X 10X 15X combo loop. My total thinking behind this (including what Paul has said), is that I have heard (on a YouTube channel), one of the authors of the Cherry Pickers Guide state that if they can't see it with a 10X loop, then it's not there (and won't make the book). Taking that into account plus, I'm pretty sure that I have heard in the past that when they grade coins they also use a 10X loop: I think this maybe the case when you want a variety/error authenticated also. So why use a USB microscope? I could find no good reason to use it any more and have started using my 5X 10X 15X combo loop. I have not destroyed my microscope, although I had removed from computer. Upon further thought, I tried to figure out if my microscope would be useful or not. I came to the conclusion that yes the scope would still be useful but not for searching coins for errors/varieties. I would use it for the soul purpose of taking close up photos that maybe needed in the future. It may take me longer to search but all in all I think this is a good thing, for when I think I have found something with the 15X I can move to the 10X to see if I can still it. If it's good enough for the authors of the Cherry Pickers Guide and for the graders, then it should be good enough for me.
Thanks
DScoins
Thanks
DScoins
USN Retired Jun1977-Jun 1997/100% disabled VET. (Not a wounded warrior)
Member CONACA
ANA
PCGS
NGC
Finds to date
2000-P .05C Strong Clashed Die O/R PCGS # 14129072 photo at maddieclashes
1983-P DDR FS-01-1983-501
5 2000 WAM FS- 901
Member CONACA
ANA
PCGS
NGC
Finds to date
2000-P .05C Strong Clashed Die O/R PCGS # 14129072 photo at maddieclashes
1983-P DDR FS-01-1983-501
5 2000 WAM FS- 901
- SensibleSal66
- Coin Master
- Posts: 7813
- Joined: Thu Sep 10, 2020 8:06 am
- Location: Connecticut
- Has thanked: 3575 times
- Been thanked: 2329 times
Re: USB microscopes
I just use my Microscope for very detailed issues . I actually use the light to see my keyboard at night . LOL
Member of CONECA
" All replies are my opinion based on experience"
Casual Collector 40+ years , 10 years Error coins ( still learning).
" All replies are my opinion based on experience"
Casual Collector 40+ years , 10 years Error coins ( still learning).
-
- Coining Around
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2021 8:55 pm
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 2 times
Re: USB microscopes
The USB microscope is more of a convenience factor for me. It gives me a free hand or two to write things down or search online while still looking at the die variety.
-
- Coin Wizz
- Posts: 411
- Joined: Sun Dec 27, 2020 7:17 pm
- Has thanked: 21 times
- Been thanked: 77 times
Re: USB microscopes
I find the microscope more convenient, it can also be useful for confirming whether a 72D half has any FG remenants or if it is a NO FG
- DSCoins
- Coin Guru
- Posts: 3459
- Joined: Thu May 16, 2019 7:47 pm
- Location: South central PA.
- Has thanked: 159 times
- Been thanked: 932 times
Re: USB microscopes
You have to keep in mind that if really a No FG, you only need at a max 10X. Although you only need a 5x loop to verify that it is not there. I can use my microscope and not see it, yet when I move to my 5X, 10X loop I will see it. I just had a experience using a microscope to see if I had a 1983 no FG, Under a microscope I could not see it, when I moved to the loop, low and behold there was a faint FG, not a no FG.monsterbug1 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 23, 2021 11:57 am I find the microscope more convenient, it can also be useful for confirming whether a 72D half has any FG remenants or if it is a NO FG
DScoins
USN Retired Jun1977-Jun 1997/100% disabled VET. (Not a wounded warrior)
Member CONACA
ANA
PCGS
NGC
Finds to date
2000-P .05C Strong Clashed Die O/R PCGS # 14129072 photo at maddieclashes
1983-P DDR FS-01-1983-501
5 2000 WAM FS- 901
Member CONACA
ANA
PCGS
NGC
Finds to date
2000-P .05C Strong Clashed Die O/R PCGS # 14129072 photo at maddieclashes
1983-P DDR FS-01-1983-501
5 2000 WAM FS- 901
- DSCoins
- Coin Guru
- Posts: 3459
- Joined: Thu May 16, 2019 7:47 pm
- Location: South central PA.
- Has thanked: 159 times
- Been thanked: 932 times
Re: USB microscopes
Both the writers of The Cherry Pickers Guide use 10X, and the TPG use 10X for both grading and variety attribution. So basically as was put by one of the writers for the Cherry Pickers Guide "If we can't see with a 10X loop it doesn't make the book".
USN Retired Jun1977-Jun 1997/100% disabled VET. (Not a wounded warrior)
Member CONACA
ANA
PCGS
NGC
Finds to date
2000-P .05C Strong Clashed Die O/R PCGS # 14129072 photo at maddieclashes
1983-P DDR FS-01-1983-501
5 2000 WAM FS- 901
Member CONACA
ANA
PCGS
NGC
Finds to date
2000-P .05C Strong Clashed Die O/R PCGS # 14129072 photo at maddieclashes
1983-P DDR FS-01-1983-501
5 2000 WAM FS- 901
-
- Coin Wizz
- Posts: 411
- Joined: Sun Dec 27, 2020 7:17 pm
- Has thanked: 21 times
- Been thanked: 77 times
Re: USB microscopes
My USB microscope can do far more than 10x- it is supposed to do up to 200x on max settings, although I would never need that extreme of a magnificationDSCoins wrote: ↑Fri Apr 23, 2021 4:40 pmYou have to keep in mind that if really a No FG, you only need at a max 10X. Although you only need a 5x loop to verify that it is not there. I can use my microscope and not see it, yet when I move to my 5X, 10X loop I will see it. I just had a experience using a microscope to see if I had a 1983 no FG, Under a microscope I could not see it, when I moved to the loop, low and behold there was a faint FG, not a no FG.monsterbug1 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 23, 2021 11:57 am I find the microscope more convenient, it can also be useful for confirming whether a 72D half has any FG remenants or if it is a NO FG
DScoins
- Daniel
- Administrator
- Posts: 26520
- Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 4:59 pm
- Location: Ohio
- Has thanked: 1148 times
- Been thanked: 4160 times
- Contact:
Re: USB microscopes
You're not understanding here, anything over 5x or 10x isn't good here, you don't need it.
- Earle42
- Administrator
- Posts: 16014
- Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2019 11:18 am
- Location: OH
- Has thanked: 1383 times
- Been thanked: 4993 times
Re: USB microscopes
I may as well add here that most alleged No FG halves can show their initials with no magnification at all. Just tilt the coin to various light sources and a polished-off one typically shows its ghosted self.
Common grading company shortcomings & resulting co$tly mi$take$ to collectors (using Kennedy No FG halves):
https://tinyurl.com/y7rksxu8
How much squash would a sasquatch squash if a sasquatch would squash squash?
https://tinyurl.com/y7rksxu8
How much squash would a sasquatch squash if a sasquatch would squash squash?
- Mrweaseluv
- Coin Wizz
- Posts: 377
- Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2020 7:32 pm
- Has thanked: 132 times
- Been thanked: 200 times
Re: USB microscopes
I used a 10x loop for many many years the only reason I use a "USB microscope" is my vision has gone to blazes and i can barely read a date some days with only a loop.. My standard has become takeing a good picture that I can blow up enough to properly grade the coin but still using the 10x loop as well on the coin... the pic's/USB micro are great tools but you are 100% correct... If it can't be seen by a 10x loop it ain't gonna make the book/grade/error you're hoping for :D
-
- Similar Topics
- Replies
- Views
- Last post
-
- 7 Replies
- 1607 Views
-
Last post by Paul
-
- 8 Replies
- 4591 Views
-
Last post by Daniel
-
- 13 Replies
- 2425 Views
-
Last post by UrbanDecay04
-
- 4 Replies
- 4243 Views
-
Last post by Coinnovice
-
- 2 Replies
- 1771 Views
-
Last post by Paul
-
- 0 Replies
- 1816 Views
-
Last post by fwd
-
- 13 Replies
- 1098 Views
-
Last post by Earle42