Using StereoZoom microscope for card grading

[marvymelvin]

Hello everyone. I am wondering what is used at the TPG's to check edges for trimming and other flaws not easy detected with eyes or a loupe. I understand the need for certain light to check for surface alterations, but do they just use a loupe or do they use something considerably more powerful.

I have this Bausch & Lomb StereoZoom microscope I have been playing around with. It is a lot of fun for looking at cards. The way you can see the paper fibers, and direction they are going, finish and pixilation etc on the surface is pretty amazing as well.

I have no interest in getting this crazy picky with collecting and selling etc. but it is fun for a hobbyist. Has anyone else ever used something like this? They are not cheap in working condition, and I also have a separate Reichert magnified light source. I have added a few photos to give you an idea of what mine looks like. The head itself is fairly light weight, but the boom stand is very heavy, about 80 pounds. That is so you can raise it up and down, left and right, etc with out tipping over. Here are the pictures.

Imagine being shrunk down by Rick Moranis shrink ray and finding yourself standing on a single pixel of a 1952 Topps Mantle, being able to walk around and check everything 0ut. Well now you can....

[bnorth]

I have a 60-100X top lighted microscope I use to check out cards for alterations.

I also take a high resolution scan and then hook my laptop up to my tv. Depending on TV size/quality you can look at a 2'X3' or bigger card.

I have no idea what the grading companies do, maybe spin a wheel.

[drcy]

Seems way overkill for grading, but microscopes are very much useful for authentication and alteration detection. The no name T206 of Net54 fame was examined under a high power microscope.

As with a black light, there are 101 uses for a microscope beyond baseball cards. Synthetic (fake) leather, parchment and vellum is easily identified under the microscope due to the obviously machine made pattern.