Best way to document coin collection for ease of estate

Hi howboutatrade, you can remove fields from the list by clicking the small icon in the top left of the list it will drop down the fields and you can tick or untick to display or hide the fields. You can also remove any field from the form view by right clicking the form and using the customise menu. There is a help section on this if you go to the help file from the help menu. see the help section "Making and Saving New Layouts"

You can add or remove an item from a list of values by going to the form view and clicking the + button next to the field this will popup a screen with a list of the values for this field. see help section "Basic Use" for some fields with very large lists this might take a while if you plan on removing all the values. I would suggest that you can start typing a value in to a drop down fileld and then drop the list down the list will then only show values that start with what you have typed eg. Do in the currency field will restrict the list to Dollar

 

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My suggestion to answer the specific question , as I suspect any software program ( no matter how complete) nor spreadsheet listing, etc, would be easy for your estate.

Plan ahead. Have an ID number on each coin holder or album, then over time, take about 100 or more and video yourself telling about each coin or album: type, grade, cost, your idea of value, where it will be, etc.
If you have collections in albums it will also go fast. Most of the solution with estates is to have the item and general valuation, as if it has to be divided among several people, and they don't know about coins, they can pick them into parcels about the same value and all will feel equal. If it is a humongous estate and subject to taxes, then the appraisal will generally be done by an apporved appraiser rather than a self made spread sheet.

Ask your family if seeing a video would be easier than trying to use a computer program and then find the coin, etc. IMO.

Jim

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Thank you for thinking of what will happen when you pass. I am going through my late husbands collection and he had no records of when he brought the coins and what he paid for them or whether they are worth anything. You will be doing your family a great service if you take care of this now.
Good luck.

 

Feel free to weigh in on what would have been the best way to leave records behind, I think it would definitely be a wake-up call to many of us here since eventually someone will have to go through our collections when we're done.

 

Keeping meticulous records is very important, along with your own personal notes regarding the coins history. Someone, will sit down and read all that, when the time comes.

 

I personally label the reverse of each coin holder with a code that describes what I paid & the date purchased. Sometimes this information gets lost but not often. In the case of world coins I sometimes also list the KM# and metal content. I took a VHS video of the collection & described some key details of the collection & described who should be contacted to help in the sale of certain pieces. Obviously I recommended certain error dealers for some error coins, auction houses for some items & some private collectors for some key stuff they might like. It is probably time for me to take another video to suplement the first one. There is a document with the video describing where items are locked-up & the price/date code. My son has also been informed of the system. He kids about using some of it for a 2011 Camaro but I think he will be waiting for a while.

 

Been playing.....couple questions

1) I am unable to delete a picture....it initially appears gone, but then reappears when I click out of the photo box on the details page

2) Status field....I am using as a finish field (Satin, Biz Strike, Proof, etc). The drop down does not align with the options for status. Original Status field list was Sold/Wanted etc, and the drop down was the same as the Grade field. When I changed the field list to my set, the drop down is still the same as Grade. Messes with auto pop.

3) How can I scroll through my collection from the details page?

4) What do all the buttons do on the lower left of the List page. Specifically the buttons to the right of "-"

5) I would like a place to record two current values. One a value to a collector, one a value to a dealer. Dealing with my brother's estate, I found this is helpful as collectors will pay more as an item is not being resold. Currently I am using the Catalog value for one, and recording the other in the catalog notes.

 

I'll let Boydle answer the more technical questions, but as far as not being able to replace a picture: just right click on your current photo, and select another one that you'd like to put in there, and it replaces your original one that you wanted to delete.

 

It actually takes quite a bit of work to record everything to the extent that is needed. I believe what often happens is that collections that started long before computer software was around, became too big and then it's looks like too daunting of a task to get started.

I recommend Excel. I love the program I set up. It has about 15 sheets set up, all labeled. Each sheet contains either silver dollars, halves, dimes..etc... You can customize what you need. For example my silver dollar sheet is set up for all types of silver dollars, while my buffalo nickel set has it's own sheet, specifically set up for them. Then it's easy to print that off by itself and take it to a show. You can insert and drop actual pics where ever you want and shrink them down. Stretch them out if you ever need to look at something. Then click 'Undo' to drop it back to the former size. I have it set up to automatically total up dollar amounts and total PM content by quantity entered, on each sheet. With a final sheet compiling totals.

Once you spend a good part of a day setting this up and entering everything, you just have to make a commitment to enter as you go. Then it's easy. I keep the program backed up on two separate external sources. You don't ever want to have to start from scratch over a computer crash.

 

Hi howboutatrade,

I will try to answer you questions:

1) Once a picture is loaded it can only be replaced, (except if you delete it from the folder in your my documents, i can give you details of how to do this if you want) This is an oversight and i will put a delete option in on the next version of the software.

2) I have just checked my coins and you are right it is the same list, this is a bug. Changing one list will change the other there is no work around for this I will try to release an update to the software in the next day or so that fixes this bug and i will post here to let everyone know it has been done. I have made the base changes to the software it just takes a while to package it up for release.

3) There is no way to scroll through the collection from the details page. This is a technical limitation and there is nothing i can do about this. For those inclined to know it is due to the grouping function allowed in the list view this causes the details page to scroll through records in the wrong order if the user has used grouping.

4) The buttons are from left to right
First Record
Last Record
New Record
Delete Record
Save Record (this happens when you click of the record automatically but you can use this button if you want)
Undo Record
Refresh (This should never be needed and i will probably remove it in a future release.)
Bookmark (This lets you bookmark a record so you can come back to it if you scroll away)
Go to bookmark
Filter (This lets you filter the records this is more advanced then the filter row that is available from the layout menu, the filter row is generally more than enough but if you find you need more filtering power you can do it here)

I will add information to the help file and try to get a help hint to popup when you mouse over the buttons to make this easier.

5) There is no field for a second value, I will add it to my fields to see about if people feel it is a good field to have please post here so i can get a feel for the wider user base.


Thanks for taking the time to let me know about these issues, i can only fix up things if people bring them to my attention.

 

All,

This has been great help. I have looked at several ways of doing the documentation and for maximum flexibility, ease of use to my heirs, and speed in setting up, I believe I am going to go the spreadsheet route. I like the info on how to do the pictures, I can see chunks of details at a time, and I can modify, move, report, and go nuts with differing views.

My only concern on this approach is the spreadsheets ability to handle the size of the file by the time I get all the pictures loaded. This is an advantage of data bases and how they handle the amount of data...however, the flexibility is lost.

What are everyone's thoughts? Am I crazy???

 

Hi howboutatrade,

I will try to do this without it sounding like a pitch . A spreadsheet will handle the records 32,000 per sheet so that should not be a problem to you. Images however are a different problem I deal with large spread sheets and word documents for work all the time and images cause problems a few are OK but if you have 50+ records and you want to put a decent image of front and back with it the spread sheet will start to have problems.

Flexibility does not have to be compromised with a database as long as the software lets you export your data to a common format you can always ditch it. (the bit trying to not sound like a pitch my software will export to excel, text, html and xml and your images are always accessible in your my documents folder under the folder compasscollectables)

Since you seem to already have Excel and it wont cost you anything try it out, just keep in mind you may need to change to something else later on.

Scale is always the thing to keep in mind i have over 10,000 high resolution images of my collection they are over 18Gig, I add about 5gig a year.

 

Understand the memory size issue....that is a concern. However, talking to my wife and others that would be involved if necessary, they have a better understanding of Excel. I like the software, the database has definitie benefits....however, my reasons for completing the inventory are not focused on my needs 100%.

Now, if my 11 year old were of age...then there would be no decision as she has full ability to learn the ins and outs of computer software with no concerns or issues. Please make your software able to import my excel, as I feel the time will come when I need to upgrade to keep things complete.

Keep the ideas coming...I could use the additional creativity.

 

The program already exports to Excel now just without the images.

 

Hi all,

As per my earlier post about fixing up a couple of things howboutatrade made comments about, I have released a new version of the software and it is available from http://compasscollectables.com/download.mhtml

I fixed up the Lists of values problem where grade and status in coins were the same list.
There is now a delete option in the details view that works
The controls bar at the bottom left of the list now has mouse over hints so you can see what each button does.

I have also improved the skins to make record viewing in the list easier.
Some users got a horizontal scroll bar on the left section details page.

If people have any more suggestions please let me know and i will see what i can do about implementing them.

 

If I were gone...

If the real question is about how to document and keep track of your collection then there have been many good answers BUT if the real question is about " If I were gone" then I have a different suggestion.

Generally estate sales are a potential gold mine for cheap collectibles, because the sellers lack the knowledge or patience to realize the full potential of a collection. I'm assuming that your collection is not large enough for an auction house.

I have disposed of my parents estate and it was a task that I did not enjoy and I took the actions necessary to do it as quickly and effortlessly as possible.

If you have a good reason to be concerned with your longevity I suggest that you dispose of your collection yourself. You understand it's worth and will probably enjoy the negotiations a lot more than your heirs, and therefore realize your collection true potential.

 

All this talk about heirs and the selling of your collections when are gone has me wondering some things. Do that many people see their father's or grandfather's or whomever's life work in a coin collection as just another thing to quickly sell and get cash for? I mean, this isn't bed sheets and old shoes found in the basement or something. It's a legacy and the result of someone's passion, dedication, hard work and love. I could never think of selling the coins that were handed down to myself, and I shutter to think my kids would sell what I've worked so hard to build. It's a sad thought.
Guy

 

@ coinguy...do you wear your father's / grandfather's watch or ring?

In most estates,the coins, jewelry, cars, etc are just sold off so that the estate can be settled among the heirs. In my limited experience most heirs just want the cash.

 

Unfortunately most people do seem to think of peoples collections as an item to unload.

I have a number of items from my great grandfather, grand parents and father and I do not plan to get rid of them they are part of the family history, i can understand people being in the position of having to sell when times are bad but otherwise it is nice to keep the items. I have amassed a reasonably large collection of different things and I have left them to my only relative that i think will appreciate them I hope he keeps them and passes them down but the temptation to sell them and put a deposit on a house or buy a new car might be to much for him.

 

I do have rings, crystal and other things and we do use them. Unfortunately there is always a risk with using them and I have broken some glasses and lost some cuff links but I enjoyed using them.