Coin collecting is serious business, and necessitates its own set of tools – particularly, the right magnifying glass. A plastic one that came in a child’s science play kit isn’t going to cut it – to properly grade a coin, closely examine details like mintmarks and take note of any variety and alteration, your magnifying glass needs to have the right degree of magnification. Ideally, 7x to 10x the magnification is perfect for grading and identifying varieties and attributions, though in some cases you might need higher magnification. That’s not all – the right magnifying glass won’t only give you a small area in the center with accurate magnifying abilities. Powerful and professional-grade loupes for coin collectors and coin shows don’t have distortion around the edges, so you can use the complete surface area of the lens to examine your coins. Add to these traditional features a few modern twists, and you’re set to make the most out of your coin collecting ventures with our picks of the best magnifying glass for coin collecting.
That’s not all – the right magnifying glass won’t only give you a small area in the center with accurate magnifying abilities. Powerful and professional-grade loupes for coin collectors and coin shows don’t have distortion around the edges, so you can use the complete surface area of the lens to examine your coins. Add to these traditional features a few modern twists, and you’re set to make the most out of your coin collecting ventures with our picks of the best magnifying glass for coin collecting.
KEN’S PICK
LED Lighted Slide Out Pocket Magnifying Glass
This powerful magnifying glass packs three levels of magnification – 10x the magnification is perfect for picking out varieties like overmintmarks and overdates, but if these quirks are more obscure, you can up the magnification to 90x, more than enough for examining a coin thoroughly. But the precision of the device doesn’t end there – 2 powerful LED lights and 1 ultraviolet blacklight make this the perfect pocket tool to whip out at coin shows or pawn shops you’ve found an interesting collection in. The in-built lighting lets you closely examine the finest details of coins wherever you are, the lightweight and compact device perfect for slipping into your pocket or purse.
The magnification lenses are distortion free, so you get crisp and clear magnification to examine the tiniest of details of your coins, with the diameter of the 10x lens (the one you’re most likely to be using frequently for coins) at 25 mm, while the 20x and 30x lenses come at 12 and 8 mm respectively. The versatile magnification range also lets you use this magnifer for examining jewels and gems, old photographs or small texts you might not be able to comfortably read with the naked eye or impaired vision.
KEN’S BUDGET PICK
Fancii LED Lighted 3X 10X Small Magnifying Glass with 15X Magnifier Loupe
This sleek unit looks like it fell out of a futuristic sci-fi film with its minimalistic design and clean edges, and is likely to make even a beginner feel like quite the connoisseur using its simple but brilliant functions. The unit has two magnification levels – 3x, for enlarging text and print, clocking in at dimensions 1.5 by 1.2 inches, and 10x (of diameter 0.6 inches) for effortlessly making out more intricate detailing. Meanwhile, a 15x loupe paired to an adjustable focus length dial gives you closer control over examining items like coins, stamps, bank notes and jewelry. A series of 3 LED flashlights positioned over the lens give you better visibility and a focused pool of light to pinpoint the subtlest of attribution and variety of your coins, with a button positioned below the lens letting you switch through 4 available light modes. A UV blacklight and LED light are also situated under the lens, to give you more control over examining and authenticating your collections.
Despite the power it packs, the magnifying glass is portable and lightweight, easily fitting into your palm, your pocket or your purse. The design is ergonomic and structured to be friendly to elderly hands losing dexterity and strength, perfect to supplement reading and other activities relying on close use of vision. The metal casing and polyurethane leather sleeve make for a durable and sturdy unit for you to carry with you for coin shows and coin-questing adventures. A battery compartment at the base of the device holds and powers the unit with 3 AG10 1.5-volt batteries.
RUNNER-UP
Carson LumiLoupe Ultra 5x LED Lighted Magnifier
Though this may feature magnification at only 5x, this is all you’ll need to throw the details of your coins in sharp relief thanks to 6 powerful LED lights with 3 adjustable brightness levels, giving you the degree of illumination you need to make out mintmarks and dates without squinting or straining your eyes. Powered by 3 triple-A batteries, the tapered design of the magnifier is ergonomic, with textured finger-holds to give you a comfortable grip, suitable for reading small print, examining coins, stamps and other items like photograph negatives or to see what you’re doing when working with circuit boards or tiny machine parts. With a lens diameter of 2.5 inches, this handheld device makes all the difference to tasks or hobbies requiring a keener attention to detail and taking the pressure off anyone experiencing a degree of visual impairment.
RUNNER-UP
LED Lighted 3X Folding Pocket Magnifier with 15X Loupe
As the name suggests, this classily designed pocket magnifier comes with a 60 mm diameter lens of 3x magnification – great for reading small texts and making out details like dates on coins, with a 20 mm diameter loupe of magnification 15x also included for those finer and more minute details you’d want to check up to establish varieties and attributions. A compact magnifier cleverly designed a bit like a switch blade, you can flip the magnifier into its protective casing when you’re not using it – once flipped into the open position, energy efficient LED lights automatically switch on to give you better visibility and focus on finer details. The compact magnifier is powered by 2 CR1620 batteries, which come with the unit, as well as a keychain attachment and storage pouch.