In the last ten years we have seen the development of high-field superconducting magnet technology from the announcement, in 1961, of the first solenoids to the present day, when around a thousand magnet systems are in use in scientific laboratories throughout the world. A scientist interested in magnetic-field effects can now obtain a reliable magnet to generate a homogeneous and steady field in the 50–100 kilogauss range for a capital investment of about 25 cents per gauss.