Advice

Jewelers loupes are pretty good and can be had for for almost nothing on ebay. Some are even illuminated:



If your into technology USB Microscopes are also pretty good, they can be had for about $25CAD, this type:



Simply rotating the light source around the coin can work wonders, as the shadows move around what detail is left. Wetting the coin can also help to highlight detail.

I've even resorted to photographing coins and using Microsoft Office Picture Managers 'Edit pictures' function to fiddle with brightness and contrast etc, mixed results.

Bobby:

Thanks again for the help...this magnifier tripod is killing me!

Ras sent me a few coins to practice on I'm working on my first one CONSTANTIN...I think I've identified the reverse, but am finding this to be a bit overwhelming...alhough very, very cool. I can read CONSTANTIN on the obverse, but am struggling with the other letters!

I have all of the typical magnification devices already discussed, but I also have a pair of 20x Magnifier Magnifying Eye Glasses Loupe Lens Jeweler Watch Repair with LED Light that I use more than anything else. These allow me to have both hands free.

That's how I feel when I wear them. But they work better for me than all my other magnifiers and I have both hands free for whatever.

I bought them on ebay. Sadly, though, they cannot be worn over my spectacles. I do not need my glasses when I'm looking through these at a coin, but the moment I try to look elsewhere, I'm blind.