Can I Use A Stereo Microscope To View Coins?

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Author	Replies: 4 / Views: 5,950
woolley4u New Member United States 1 Posts	Posted 07/06/2010 11:39 pm I wear glasses plus have very limited movement after 13 Major Back Surgeries> 11 were failures & bending over coins isn't my favorite idea of fun. I seem to always get in the way of my halogen desk lamp too & even using a good scope, I find it difficult to see the details I regularly see in photo enlargements of coins online all the time! Wouldn't it be a Great Improvement to look at your computer monitor and see a well lite clear enlargement of your coin instead of the method we are currently expected to use? I'm interested in saving time, improving accuracy significantly by actually being able to view a crisp enlarged well lite view of my coin and saving my back from any more strain. After seeing all the Great Enlargements of Coin online for years & reading about stereo microscopes, I couldn't help but believe there should be a way of viewing coins using a good stereo microscope with a USB attachment on my Large Monitor. I could simply look straight ahead and the coin would be there on my monitor greatly enlarged, well lite in Living color. Naturally I would want to be able to view the entire coin or zoom in on any detail I'd like to see closer...would it be nice if I could easily rotate the coin like I can do with many software's. I want this to be as easy as possible so I don't want to have to hold the coin or move a light! I've read about how great these microscopes can be "per the manufacturer" BUT I don't see many if any coin collectors discussing this. What am I missing? I do believe even if it isn't available now it could & should be! I find the old reliable method of looking at coins to be cumbersome and not practical in many cases. I would appreciate any information on this subject you might have especially if you have experience with this approach. I wouldn't mind spending up to say $500 but less if possible. Thanks very much for your Valuable Time! Thanks very m Report this Post to the Staff

mycrob Pillar of the Community United States 2602 Posts	Posted 07/07/2010 09:15 am I actually use a stereo microscope for coins all the time- I use it to help confirm varieties that are hard to see by eye or a 5x-10x loupe. It's been very valuable to me. Mine is a low end one, very old and I can't take decent pictures and doesn't connect to computer. Mine also does not have it's own light source- works with natural light or I've rigged a small lamp to shine on the mirrors (though it's not that great). Told you it's old and low end! I imagine that the major grading companies might use stereo microscopes to look at coins they grade carefully. I think it's a great idea, but has to be a low-priced item for collectors to want to buy it. Probably only good for serious collectors, and ability to take pictures and interface with a computer are a definite must. Also needs it's own light source that preferably is a dimmer type light so you can make it brighter or darker to get the lighting just right for pictures. Report this Post to the Staff
carmykle Pillar of the Community United States 2448 Posts	Posted 07/07/2010 1:28 pm I just received mine and feel like I overpaid (almost 700$). Don't get me wrong, I love the thing and the 1.3 MB digital camera but there a things to consider that I didn't. 1st - budget (not a problem for me but...); 2nd - purpose; scopes acuity or ability to transmit to a monitor/computer; 3rd, your set-up (also very important). Do you have the desk area for a microscope adjacent to your monitor/computer? It takes approx a 2' x 2' area for the set up. It sounds like you want the feed directly to a monitor or computer, so add another square foot of space or insure you viewing device is close to the specimen plate area. If you have an older computer, you might have to upgrade memory and the operating system to be compatible with the camera's programs. I want to get a new lap top to use with the microscope and xfer photos but the camera with my scope will only operate with Windows. If you have an older MAC, an Apple, or a specialized system, you need to acquire the correct software. You might also need to upgrade your photo shop program. Finally, the most reasonably priced microscopes will not be compatible with regular cameras (no camera mount for an SLR or TTLF digital cameras). You'll have to save to your computer and then work with the photo. If the scopes camera is linked directly to a monitor, there may not be an interface to save the pics of your coins. I hope I gave you some insights and some things to consider. I'm sure the other folks on the CCF will have additional suggestions and considerations. I'm happy with mine and it's so powerful I can watch the tarnish form on a copper penny. Of course I'm old, a widower, and nothing else to do but play with coins. What a great country! Report this Post to the Staff
Lootie New Member United States 3 Posts	Posted 07/07/2010 10:27 pm Check out this web site. http://www.dino-lite.com/ Report this Post to the Staff
morgan-lover New Member United States 12 Posts	Posted 08/19/2010 01:53 am Hello, I have a stereo microscope... works well for some types of coin photos (tight shots for details); but if you want those large pretty coin shots... get a camera with a memory stick or a USB line to download from your camera... Report this Post to the Staff
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