I was inspired, by a microscope-purchasing post here, to buy a microscope for a nephew for Christmas.

but so many kinds!
wtf?!

>Stereo?Confocal?Compound?Metallurgical?Polarizing?Inverted?Digital?Biological?Discecting?Florescence?Hobbyist?

*weeps*

THE KID:
- 12 yrs old
- hasn't used microscopes in school yet, says family
- very smart, designated "Highly Gifted"
- loves science (esp. deep sea and deep space)
- don't know what he'd want to look at
- the kind of mind that'll go down whatever science rabbit hole there is

THE BUDGET:
- happy to buy used if I can trust source
- could maybe go as high as ~$350 USD (only got one nephew so far, so...), maybe get his parents to contribute a little?

I copied the other thread and understand
NIKON
OLYMPUS
LEICA
(and also ZEISS, I'd guess?) are the best, with American Optical also mentioned

Also: where to buy?
merry Christmas!