Coin Magnifiers and Loupes

Coin magnifiers and loupes have become standard accessories for knowledgable coin collectors. Keeping a small one tucked in my pocket as I travel around the country makes it simple to examine a coin as I find them in different stores, second hand shops and auctions. Don't depend on coin dealers making one available for your use. And a borrowed magnifier may not meet your needs.

The basic purpose of a coin magnifier is to enlarge the image of the coin in order to examine it for details. In general, the typical collector needs magnification between 5X and 10X. This is what's used to generally authenticate and grade coins. For inspecting of errors and die varieties you may want a more powerful device. Just remember the field of view becomes smaller as the magnification increases.

New advances in magnifying technology have now put digital microscopes in reach of the typical collector. The new microscopes with magnification levels to around 200X simply plug into your PC or laptop through a USB port. They make close detail inspection of coins for errors and varieties simple and breathtaking and closeup photography of collectible coins is within everyones reach. Digital microscopes generall start at around $100 depending on quality and optics.

Below is a small sampling of the listings available for your collecting pleasure. Simply click on the link by the listing to find the specifics about that particular magnifier or loupe.