How do YOU attribute your coins?

I'm curious if there's a better, or more efficient way than mine.

If its an LRB, and I can't read enough of the obverse or reverse legend:
1. Go to Tesorillo.com and try to narrow down a ruler
2. Go to Wildwinds.com and control-F a keyword or two and scroll through matches

If it's a coin that I CAN identify the ruler and CAN read text on the reverse:
1. Go to Wildwinds.com, control-F keywords

If I can't identify anything:
1. Go to CoinTalk.com and hope someone helps me out

 

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As well as Wildwinds, Numismatics.org, RPC, ACSearch and Vcoins (For cross ref examples), this forum and its search facility is a massive help.
If I get really stuck then I will post here for assistance - usually as a last resort mind you.

 

Just an opinion: With lrb's where the ruler ID is not obvious, try identifying the reverse first and eliminate all the people that did not use that reverse. Nothing is gained agonizing over a hundred people when the reverse can narrow the choices down a very few.

 

I use Google search, using key words, then try to locate identical or nearly identical images.

If it is a really exotic or rare coin, I try the auction websites or printed catalogs. Some museum websites can be helpful, such as MFA.

I have trouble using Wildwinds.com. My eyes are just too old to deal with the extremely small images, which are now even difficult to access due to some technical issue with the site.

 

Thanks! Wildwinds is good but I agree the technical side could be a lot better.

 

Another useful site is https://www.acsearch.info/home.html

 

I use acsearch, wildwinds, and google to find similar coins, which usually will be listed with an attribution. Should probably get a copy of RIC, one of these days.

 

That site has a reverse image search capacity, but it isn't free. The price information for sales of particular coins isn't available with a free account either. Still, it's very useful.

 

Buying even used copies of all the volumes of RIC (old and new editions) is an expensive proposition! Probably over $1,000.

 

Yeah, that's probably why I have not done it yet. Rather spend the money on a few coins.

 

For Roman coins where you have a partial legend - this site can be very helpful. You usually don't need very many letters to narrow down the possibilities. Wildwinds & Google images can be useful.

These days, ACSearch is usually my first stop for a broad search - a few words quickly finds something relevant.

 

Books, old school. Dumbarton Oakes catalogs to attribute , David Sears books to communicate with other collectors.