Hi Everyone, I wanted to know if there are any Mac enthusiasts out there. What software do you use to inventory/catalog your coins? The ones that I've seen out there are Windows only. The closest thing I've found was a software app I purchased about 5 years ago. The only issue with the app is that it was really made for stamps. It still works for me but has extra fields that I don't use. The one I have is called Philatelica and was created by a company called Split Cube software. The company itself has not posted any new versions for quite some time. Luckily the software was created using Filemaker Pro and so I've just updated that to keep current. I just wanted to see if there were any other choices for us Mac fans Thanks!!!!
Guess this will not be very helpful for you but anyway, I use "NumisDat", a German language coin collection software by Gietl. It was written in 4D and works with Mac OS and Windows; costs €29.80 ... Christian
I use the newly released personal database program from Filemaker called Bento. You can put together a very nice coin database in a half hour to an hour and the customize it as you see fit for as long as you use it. Here is a sample record from my database.
Hi Bluenose I really like your layout. I'm not very savvy when it comes to creating database forms. I have Filemaker Pro 9.0 and I know Bento is made by the same company. Do you think you could provide me with a template to work with in File Maker Pro? If not I understand. I appreciate your assistance. Thanks!!!
Well, Bento is a *very* simplified database. It is to databases what iPhoto is to professional photo cataloging and editing software. The trade off is that it is *extremely* easy to use and very cheap. I made that database and form in about 30 minutes. My point is that, as far as I know, there is no way to transfer forms between Filemaker Pro and Bento. They have nothing in common. I have downloaded the 30-day trial of FMP9 to see if I can use it as a frontend to my mySQL database. I will gladly send you any forms I design in FMP9 if I decide to buy and use it.
Hi Bluenose, I'm going to try to see if I can use your screen shot to create a template on Filemaker Pro. I hope you don't mind. This will be my first serious attempt to create a database and form. I appreciate the screen shot!!! Thanks :smile
So far my attempts are not going to well lol. Anyone know of any Filemaker Pro templates for coin collecting? Thanks!!
Hi Bluenose, I'm thinking of getting Bento instead of using FMP9. The screenshot you posted was that created with one of the built in templates that comes with Bento? Did you just add the required fields that are specific to coin collecting? I may pick up Bento this weekend so just wanted to get some info. Thanks again!!!
Nope, not a built in template at all. You just show the Fields column on the right, hit the add button, give it a name and a type and hit Enter. Then just drag your new field out on the form where you want it. It lines things up automatically and you can adjust the size and placement of things. Once you're done you can hide the Fields column (at least I do). BTW, you can download a 30 day trial from www.filemaker.com if you want to try it first.
Bento is Awesome!!! Hi Bluenose, Thanks for all the good advice. I ended up buying Bento and I love it. It gives me exactly what I need without having to know how to design a database. Now I just have to start transferring my coin info into my form. Thanks again!!! :high5:
Follow up to Coin Collecting Software Has anyone used Bento or other software, for a Mac, to create wish lists? If so I was wondering what kind of fields you are using on the form. Thanks!!
Switched to a Mac a few months ago and used Liberty Street's Coin Manager before the switch. Had a HD crash and the Coin Manager backup was corrupt so I'm about to attempt to redo my collection. Found this thread and here is my first beta version. I am having a problem with pic quality. I start with a high quality scan or picture but Bento seems to down scale it quite a bit and limits how large it will scale. Is this a limitation of Bento?
Bento Software From what I've read on Bento images can't be displayed at full size and that's why is scales them down. So it is a limitation of the Bento software. I don't see that to be too much of a problem. I probably would only use high quality pics if I was going to sell my coins. For Bento I don't need a high megapixel count.
I posted on the Bento forum and I'm being told by a File Maker employee that Bento can handle HQ pictures. I must say I think you are correct and it's a limitation of the program though. If it want handle HQ pictures I may just add links to the pictures in the field I have set up to link to the PDF receipts.
Looks like I'm off and running with 130 coins cataloged so far. Now if Bento would make an iPhone App.
Read some bad news today Bento is being discontinued. I can still use the current version but support will be ending July of 2014. So I have to start thinking about an alternative. Supposedly you can export your data into FileMaker Pro. I'm going to download the demo version and see what that looks like. I'd rather not have to use FileMaker since it cost so much!! Anyone else still using Bento for coin inventory purposes? If so will you be looking at other software now or just using Bento until it's no longer supported or compatible with the Mac OS?
