I finally bit the bullet and started to catalogue my Decimal collections.
I am doing this simply to help prevent myself from buying duplicate coins all the time.
I have only done the $1 and 50 cent albums so far, I will get around to the rest on my next break.
I am usuing Exel and it is coming along nicely :good:
Now if I see something interesting I simply look at the database and see if I actualy NEED that particular coin, Or I can see what I need and hunt for it :yahoo:
I've been using excel to track my collection for several years. It does everything I need it to.
I sell a database called compass collectables. Suitable for coins, banknotes and stamps or any other collectables you can think of.
Quote from: 'markn' pid='7444' dateline='1359323648'I've been using excel to track my collection for several years. It does everything I need it to.
I agree why use anything else? most people know how to use Excel so why bother learning and buying new software when Excel is already installed on the computer :good:
How do you set yours out Mark?
This is how I have mine at the moment;
50 Cents
1966 pr bu coa
1969 unc coa
1970 Specimine unc 1989 silver proof Captain Cook
1971 unc coa
1972 unc coa
1973 aunc coa
1974 unc coa
1975 pr coa
1976 unc coa
1977 pr 1989 silver proof Silver Jubelee
1978 pr coa
1979 unc Double Bar
1980 pr unc coa
1981 pr coa
1981 unc 1989 silver proof Charles and Dianna
1982 pr bu 1989 silver proof Commonwealth games
1983 pr coa
1984 pr bu coa
1985 pr bu coa
1986 pr bu coa
1987 pr bu coa
1988 pr bu 1988+89 Silver proof Bicentenial
1989 pr bu coa
1990 bu coa
1991 bu Silver Proof Rams head
1992 pr bu coa
1993 pr coa
1994 pr bu Year of the Family
1995 bu coa
1996 bu coa
1997 VF coa
1998 bu Bass and Flinders
1999 bu coa
2000 pr unc EF/aUNC incuse Millenium
2000 bu Silver Proof Royal Visit
2001 all states bu Federation
2002 bu Year of the outback
2003 bu Volenteers
2003 bu Golden Jubelee cu/Nickle coin
2004 bu coa
2004 bu Pointy "A"
2005 bu Silver Proof Commonwealth games
2005 bu Rememberance
2006 bu Silver Proof coa
2006 bu Commenwealth games (Hocky)
2006 bu Royal Visit
2007 bu coa
2007 bu 60th Wedding Anniversary
2008 bu coa
2008 bu Boy Scouts
2008 bu Americas Cup
2009 vf coa
2009 bu Moon Landing
2010 bu coa
2010 bu gold plated silver proof Australia Day
2010 bu Melbourne cup
2010 bu Royal Engagement
2011 bu coa
2011 bu triple 0
2011 bu National Service
2012 pr bu Hypermetallic coa
2012 bu Jubelee
2012 bu Kokoda Trail
2012 bu year of the Dragon
2013 pr bu coa
2013 bu Bathhurst
2013 bu Ballet
2013 bu Surfing
2013 bu Year of the Snake
I have one big worksheet with a number of columns. Each coin has a unique ID that I write on the holder so I can look back and find it in my catalogue using the Excel search function. I also link each coin record to an image of the coin. Using the Excel data autofilter function means I can find coins by country/denomination/year/grade whatever very easily. Here's what a few rows look like:
(http://www.timeclockmts.com/coins/coin-catalogue.jpg)
I like the idea of a dedicated collection database like the one bigfella is selling but I know in practice that entering data into such programs is laborious and I just wouldn't keep it up to date. Entering data into Excel is much, much faster, and even that takes a long time.
Crikey mark, Now THATS a database ( makes mine look like scribble )
I have NO idea how to add the links to pic's in Excel, Bloody good idea tho :good:
Quote from: 'trout' pid='7450' dateline='1359325910'Crikey mark, Now THATS a database ( makes mine look like scribble )
I have NO idea how to add the links to pic's in Excel, Bloody good idea tho :good:
Just store all your coin images in a folder on your PC somewhere. To insert a link to a picture in Excel is dead simple, just right click on an empty cell and there'll be an option for "Hyperlink" or "Insert Hyperlink". That'll pop up a window that allows you select a file, navigate to where the image is that you want to link to, select it, click OK and hey presto link to your image.
I may have to upgrade, Excel keeps coming up with a problem window when i try to get the file :dash1:
I don't think I will worry about it at this stage, otherwise I would have to take a pic of every coin and that would be a major pain in the bum:angel:
Simply knowing what I have and don't have will suffice for now, It will save me heaps that I can spend on coins I need instead of coins I THINK I need :ebay::yahoo:
I started with Excel but I converted it to Google Docs.
I can access the sheet on my phone so I know what I do / don't have when i'm away from my home pc, and you don't have to worry about your PC / hard drive crashing.
And don't forget to add a total at the bottom and then everytime you add another coin with the purchase price and a value price at the time you bought it, it will automatically add it up and you can then see how much you've paid and how much you have saved according to what the value is at the time.
it may give you a fright, so see how much you've been paying.
Quoteit may give you a fright, so see how much you've been paying.
This figure is password protected from my better half :D
it may give you a fright, so see how much you've been paying.
That is precisely why I never put the purchase price on the list or anywhere for that matter.
It would scare the Bejesus out of me and the Missus would take me out the back yard and shoot me if she knew how much I spend on coins:angel:
Pffff god you carry on..she'd only shoot ya in ther foot or leg ya sook..man up, or I can back ya up :friends: I'll be ya wingman :crazy_pilot:
I scan all my coins, then introduce a smaller picture of both sides of the coin into my database. I also use excell but it is not as extensive as markn's.
I then save all my pickies to a separate hard drive and then I give my insurance company the hard drive and take the old one home.
I rotate the hard drives about once every two years.
I only update the values for the coins each year and add any ones.
I don't worry about purchase price records. That is recorded in my head. No one can get into there to find out how much I spend on coins.
Quote from: 'Goldseeker' pid='7516' dateline='1359350068'I don't worry about purchase price records. That is recorded in my head. No one can get into there to find out how much I spend on coins.
Goldseeker, you are feeling tired.....
(http://aintnogod.com/ipb/uploads/gallery/album_17/gallery_298_17_2339.gif)
Sorry, I am immune to hypnosis or whatever...........
I too use a spreadsheet (I'm missing a category field, thanks for the suggestion Mark). If you're going to use something like that then make sure you've got some off-site backup like Dropbox or Google drive. You can always store encrypted files there if you're worried about security.
With my file now on Dropbox I have permanent access to my full collection on my iPad, which is very useful when I'm at a dealer or attending coin fairs and don't want to duplicate or looking to upgrade on an existing item. Having the .pdf versions of all of the Krause catalogues on the iPad also helps when looking for new additions. Just wish McDonalds and Renniks would hurry up and join the 21st century.
Quote from: 'Splock' pid='7554' dateline='1359414598'I too use a spreadsheet (I'm missing a category field, thanks for the suggestion Mark). If you're going to use something like that then make sure you've got some off-site backup like Dropbox or Google drive. You can always store encrypted files there if you're worried about security.
With my file now on Dropbox I have permanent access to my full collection on my iPad, which is very useful when I'm at a dealer or attending coin fairs and don't want to duplicate or looking to upgrade on an existing item. Having the .pdf versions of all of the Krause catalogues on the iPad also helps when looking for new additions. Just wish McDonalds and Renniks would hurry up and join the 21st century.
I have a couple of portable usb hard drives I shove may data bases and other doccuments on.
This seems to work OK :good:
QuoteI have a couple of portable usb hard drives I shove may data bases and other doccuments on.
This seems to work OK Good
I also use Excel spreadsheet and back up on portable hard drive.
Quote from: 'Triggersmob' pid='7557' dateline='1359415667'QuoteI have a couple of portable usb hard drives I shove may data bases and other doccuments on.
This seems to work OK Good
I also use Excel spreadsheet and back up on portable hard drive.
I have only done 2 albums so far and that took me ages :dash1:
I will have to do 1 album a week and update the ones I have done as I go along.
I think I may have created a monster for myself here:swoon:
I've itemised all of my coins,notes ,gold nuggets etc on an Excel spreadsheet with the price
paid and any other relavent details and it keeps a running total of my total of what they owe
me
Quote from: 'trout' pid='7555' dateline='1359415355'I have a couple of portable usb hard drives I shove may data bases and other doccuments on.
This seems to work OK :good:
An excellent idea. Only problem with this is that if your hard drive is in the same location as your computer, when you computer is stolen, so is the hard drive. We learnt this the hard way with a recent burglary at our place. Off site storage is well worth a look.
Recording ones coin collection takes time. But once done it looks good. Hang in there.
Quote from: 'Goldseeker' pid='7576' dateline='1359426937'Recording ones coin collection takes time. But once done it looks good. Hang in there.
I haven't graded most of my coins so I have to grade each and every coin before I can add it to the database.
This is what takes the most time but it is an excellent opportunity to reacquaint myself with my collections.
This is why I started on the Decimal coins, Most of these are BU , proof or Silver Proofs and are simple to grade :good:
My predecimals grade from “what the hell is this piece of junk†to “Helllllloooo Babyâ€.
These will take the most effort but I intend to persevere and complete them all.
Then start on the Canadian and US stuff.
This may take a while I think:shock::mr47_05:
Like most others I also use Excel to keep a record of my coins. It contains fields similar to Markn's picture above, but I account for multiples on the same line. Having 5 Sydney 2007 MYO coins dont get a separate line item for each.
Like Mark I have a unique ID on each coin - I find this the most useful part of tracking them because I can find the exact coin that matches an entry. Especially if the grades are similar....
I do have a total paid column - and a total [what they are worth today] column. This offsets some of the pain of what I have spent already.
Wavy20
I also use Excel. However, I make extensive of Pivot tables to display and total coins, dates, values (purchase and current totals).
My foreign coin worksheet is 13,000 lines long. The Pivot table sorts them by Country, date, denomination, quantity, cost and value.