# The little things...



## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

Mafe posted a blog regarding his USB micrscopic analysis of various sharpening methods. As intrigued as I was with his findings, I have to confess that I was also interested in his scope and made my own purchase of one. Whether for artistry or curiousity, I find it is a good idea to look at things in your surroundings in a whole different way from time to time. I received my new toy…er…scientific instrument…in the mail on Friday. I decided to give it a try on some currency. I have always been fascinated by coins and paper money. They are little works of art that are oftentimes taken for granted. I set the scope for x50 magnification and was quite pleased at how clear the images were for such an inexpensive gadget.

Tell me what you think?

Can you picture yourself standing on the steps of Monticello on the back of a US nickel? Notice the use of lines and the outline of the pillars to give it such a deep perspective -










Ever notice the statue of Alexander Hamilton on the back of a US 10 dollar bill?










Or the little text over his name on the front of the bill that states the demonination?










How about the names of the US states on the Lincoln Memorial on the back of the US 5 dollar bill?










On some coins, the initials of the engraver can be found. This is Victor D Brenner's initials. Engraver of the Lincoln penny.










It never hurts to look at the world in a completely different way. I will dedicate this forum post to the little things. Feel free to share your own images and observations of things that are discovered under and around the surface of our every day lives.

David


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## jbertelson (Sep 26, 2009)

Interesting little gizmo. Now if I could only find an excuse to buy it!

This type of thing must be part of a larger trend in the microscope world.


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## DKV (Jul 18, 2011)

I almost bought one after I read Mafe's article. Now that I have read yours I am sure to buy one. Don't we all need one around the house? Things like splinters, dovetail gaps, etc. Did you buy the same one as Mafe? When I click on the link that Mafe provided I get Ebay but no microscope. Where did you get yours? Can you leave a link?
Thanks,
Don


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## ssnvet (Jan 10, 2012)

very interesting….

I've seen a guy use the same style scope on machined hand gun components to compare the quality of different manufacturers…

There's a lot to see on that micro scale.


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## toeachhisown (Eddie) (Mar 30, 2011)

interesting, got to go back and reads mafes post


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## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

The zipscope I have is made by Aven. It probably would be considered a mid level scope while Mafe's is a little more high powered. Mine can zoom to 200x digitally (50x optically) while Mafe's can go up to 800x. Not crazy about the software it comes with, but there are others that can be downloaded. I am still using what came with it. To me, it is a bargain at just under 80 bucks.

I like the 2 megapixel resolution and the fact that the scope is not limited by the normal restrictions of a microscope. One could build a larger stand and it could be pointed in any direction. I like finding manufacturing labels on old tools and looking up the name of the company, finding dates on hard to read coins, or finding the small details in things, so this works fine for that purpose.

And, yes, *Jim* it is a bit of a fun game finding things just under the naked eye. I won't discover the National Treasure anytime soon, but I do enjoy these little discoveries


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