Advice on Ideal Magnification

[Favonius Cornelius]

I was wondering if anyone had advice on affordable and good microscopes and work platforms that are used for this line of work. To learn the trade of forgery identification you probably need a more powerful magnification than for cleaning?

[Molinari]

Except for the most extreme cases I think a 10x standard loupe is sufficient.

[SC]

10x - 20x is ideal.  My binocular microscope came with 20x and I thought I was going to have to order a 10x piece for it.  But I soon learned to love the 20x.

Shawn

[Lee S]

For cleaning work I use a desk top illuminated magnifying glass, I'm not sure about the exact magnification but they seem pretty standard.. It has a 90mm lens, with an insert for finer work, the magnification is only about x3 and perhaps x10 in the inset, but I find it perfectly comfortable for all but the finest work, which I perform with my 20x loupe... I like that the lens is big enough for me to see the coin in 3D without having to splash out on a binocular microscope, ( they can be found for £30/$50 ) and perfectly satisfactory for my needs..
  Lee.