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 Replies: 8 / Views: 1,814 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
621 Posts |
hello everyone, I hope all is well. I was just wondering what brand and the cost of the scale you use(where you got it would be cool too) to weigh your coins. any brands to avoid or anything? I just want something fairly reliable and portable so I can weigh the rolls at my work to hopefully find some silver w/o cracking them all open and that I can use to measure individual coins if I ever come across something real interesting or start to buy coins like Morgan dollars and such that should be weighed to make sure they are silver. thanks for any and all help guys, it's going to be my Christmas present from the old lady but she wants to know the specific one I want.  ps. I would prefer something digital. thanks  *** Moved by Staff to a more appropriate forum. *** |
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Moderator
 United States
56855 Posts |
Mine cost about $5 from ebay but I recommend one that goes down to .001 not .01 like mine does and they cost a bit more. John1 Edited by John1
10/25/2013 05:23 am
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
9162 Posts |
Harbor Freight has them for under $10 I think I paid $6 but like John1 said it only has .01
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
I'm going to disagree slightly with the above two posts - an honest resolution of 0.01g is more than ample for weighing coins. One one-thousandth of a gram is well beyond any stated weight variance, and will only distract from the idea of authentication. I use the Digi-Weigh DW100AS. It was about $15 at ebay when I bought it, but has doubled in price since. The Amazon link below looks to be the exact same scale, rebranded; I think the company producing them is a seller to various vendors who play middleman: http://www.amazon.com/American-Weig...sbs_indust_1Don't forget to ensure you buy a calibration weight, if your scale doesn't come with one. |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
4592 Posts |
0.002g accuracy is expensive... and the scale is less suited for travel.
For traveling use, also get a calibration weight and a vibration damping pad (mouse pad works fine - you can cut it to size with scissors)
-----Burton 50+ year / Life / Emeritus ANA member (joined 12/1/1973) Life member: Numismatics International, CONECA Member: TNA, FtWCC, NETCC, EveryCountry (online) coin club Owned by three cats and a wife of 40+ years (joined 1983) Author: 3rd Edition of the Sample Slabs book, https://www.sampleslabs.info/ |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
3692 Posts |
So you're going to weigh rolls, so what is the average weight of those rolls?
The maximum weight allowed on a scale is so important. A scale's accuracy changes depending on how much of its limit you use up. A scale is the most accurate when 75% or more of its limit is used. So don't get a kilo scale if you're going to weigh one coin at a time.
0.01 is enough for coins. You're not weighing diamonds.
Ruggedness - are you carrying the scale in your pants pocket, vest/coat pocket, briefcase, backpack? Get a cheap one if you're going to abuse it. I have two: one is a 50gram 0.01 reading, and the other is 250grams @0.1 reading. They both measure in grams, pennyweights, ounces avoirdupoids, and troy ounces. And that's the best way but I don't even use the ounces option. I use the smaller accurate scale for single coins and the bigger scale for heavier weigh-ins.
Get one that protects the "table" of the scale with a lid or heavy covering. Some lids are bendy and can damage your scale if you mistreat it. Sometimes the lids are the tares and sometimes they don't have tares, so if your scale is tiny pocketsized you may want to pack a tare for it. I don't even use my small scale without a tare.
Also, if you're going to keep it in your pocket get a case or a sock for it so that dirt doesn't build up behind the table and the springs.
Edited by Libertad
10/25/2013 10:14 am
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Rest in Peace
United States
4078 Posts |
Quote:
Harbor Freight has them for under $10 I think I paid $6 but like John1 said it only has .01 Me too. Harbor Freight has them at a good price. |
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Valued Member
United States
75 Posts |
I got mine on Amazon for less then $15 shipped, it goes to .01 which is all you should need for coins. I cant remember the particular brand, I just picked a generic one that had good reviews. I would also recommend a set of calibration weights to make sure the scale is always accurate. From what I have seen the weights are going to be more expensive than the scale. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5825 Posts |
The problem with precision scales is that they generally have a limited range.
Mine measures in 0.01g increments (0.001 oz) BUT tops out a just over 6 gms.
Fine for single coins but not good for rolls.
And it's not portable.
I have a second scale that I use for mailing purposes (heavier items).
It's definitely not portable.
Check out iBAL Scales.
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Replies: 8 / Views: 1,814 |
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Posted 10/25/2013 09:00 am
