An app to record my collection?

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by Aliasuk, Aug 21, 2020.

  1. Aliasuk

    Aliasuk Member

    As a relative novice I am still grappling with finding a simple/elegant system to record my growing collection of ancients and sovereigns.
    Any advice would be welcome, is there an app or system out there which members have used and found it meets their needs?
     
    serafino likes this.
  2. Avatar

    Guest User Guest



    to hide this ad.
  3. John Burgess

    John Burgess Well-Known Member

    Honestly I collect u.s. moderns and I haven't found one app that does everything I want it to. There's an app called "coin collection" with a Lincoln cent icon that's decent as like a "folder" to mark off what you have and what you need but it lacks on the condition of the coins and if you have multiples and it's still missing some issues like the 1942 regular nickel and then the 1942 P silver war nickel.
    There's just a spot for one of them, not both.

    I haven't found an app that is totally effective to catalog a collection in the kind of detail a serious collector would really want. They all are kind of introductory level.

    Ideally I'd like one you could pick the series and set up your "catalog" then add a picture and a description and your grade and then do it for multiples of the same year and mintmark, effectively cataloging a collection digitally that you could sort through and actually use in place of your collection and know what you had to trade or what you need or if a new coin you are looking at would be an upgrade to what you already have or a downgrade.

    I haven't seen anything like that.

    A lot of people set up inventory XLs
     
    Mike Davis likes this.
  4. goossen

    goossen Senior Member

    I'm pretty happy with OpenNumismat.
    Highly customizable and I can get direct access to its database. Being an IT guy this makes me very happy.
     
  5. Aliasuk

    Aliasuk Member

    John, thanks for your very quick reply. Looks like you are grappling with the same issues!
    COVID has given me time to begin to clarify what I want. Like you, ideally, I would like to catalogue my collection in detail and at the same time include a digital record of each coin so I would have access to my collection at any time or place!
    As a novice collector (late to the game and in my 80s!) setting up a programme from scratch is probably beyond me. A simple but comprehensive established package is what I am looking for.
    It must be possible, it must be happening somewhere?
     
  6. Aliasuk

    Aliasuk Member

     
  7. Aliasuk

    Aliasuk Member

    Many thanks Goossens, sounds good, will follow this up
     
    goossen likes this.
  8. kanga

    kanga 65 Year Collector

    Many people find that a spreadsheet is plenty good (I use Excel).
    You can tailor the content any way you wish and change it later if you want more or less info.
    You can even include links to images.
     
    Etcherman, JeffC, Jim Dale and 2 others like this.
  9. Silvergmen

    Silvergmen SILVER & MORGAN Obsessed

    I love excel as well!
     
    Jim Dale likes this.
  10. Rick B

    Rick B Well-Known Member

    Coin Inventory Database is one I'd like to try but you need Microsoft Access 2010 or later and I have 2007.
    It would be helpful to already know something about MS Access. You can add or delete fields as you wish, if it is missing something you want.
    It looks pretty good to me but I was unable to use their free sample without having MS Access 2010 or later.

    Maybe I'll bit the bullet and upgrade my Access. But maybe not. For now, I'm using Google Sheets (instead of Excel, so I can have access to it from any computer, anywhere since it's online).

    If anyone tries this software, let me know please!
    https://www.microsoftaccessexpert.com/Microsoft-Access-Coin-Inventory-Tracking-Database.aspx
    If you don't want to click on a link, just Google:
    wsi winning solutions coin inventory database template
     
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2020
  11. Rick B

    Rick B Well-Known Member

  12. Hermann Watzlawik

    Hermann Watzlawik Well-Known Member

    Hello, I use this software, as far as I know its only in German, but you can change nearly everythink into any language. It is also possible to up- and download csv-files Unbenannt.JPG
     
    goossen likes this.
  13. expat

    expat Remember you are unique, just like everyone else Supporter

    Microsoft access is what is termed a relational database while excel is a flat front end one.
    Access is a learning curve for a beginner, while Excel is much simpler with only columns and rows to worry about. Also behind each cell with a right mouse click you can store data descriptions regarding your coins and a link to their fotos. As fotos can eventually take up great chunks of your hard drive I have mine stored in folders in the cloud
     
  14. Rick B

    Rick B Well-Known Member

    Yes, Access has a learning curve. The upside is that it is much more versatile than Excel, such as reporting, sorting, filtering, etc. I'm no expert at it but I fumble my way around it!

    Right clicking in an Excel field: I know about adding comments but how do you add a photo?
     
  15. expat

    expat Remember you are unique, just like everyone else Supporter

    You add a link in the comment box to where your fotos are not the actual image.
    I wrote an Access database for our Insurance Agency.We have upwards of 500 clients most with 3 or more policies. A hell of a lot of data inputting but well worth it in the end.
     
  16. Mr.Q

    Mr.Q Well-Known Member

    Kanga is right you can use any platform you wish with Excel it's great.
     
  17. Rick B

    Rick B Well-Known Member

    Not being an IT guy, is this still easy to use and customize? And I see it's free! :)
     
  18. Mountain Man

    Mountain Man Supporter! Supporter

    Welcome to CT @Aliasuk. Like some here, I use Excel and while it has its draw backs, it is adaptable to individuals use. Some of the apps listed above are ones I haven't tried, but will look into.
     
  19. goossen

    goossen Senior Member

    Yes, you can select the fields you want to use with a couple of clicks. No need to be a techie. ;)


    Screenshot 2020-08-21 at 19.49.55.png Screenshot 2020-08-21 at 19.51.01.png
     
  20. Rick B

    Rick B Well-Known Member

    goossen likes this.
  21. Rick B

    Rick B Well-Known Member

    Downloading it, I got this message:
    "Microsoft Defender SmartScreen prevented an unrecognized app from starting. Running this app might put your PC at risk."

    Safe to ignore? I guess so since you have done so, right?
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page