Anybody else get backed up?

Catbird , you have to think like a cat , write the prices down in code so you know what you paid , but nobody else can figure it out without the code breaking key.
rzage

 

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Excel

Here's my current system with Excel. It took some time to initially get set up but now that it's current, this is a very easy system that I'm very happy with.

I'll try to explain it as simply as possibly.

I started from scratch with a new spreadsheet. At the bottom of the screen where the tab says "Sheet 1", I created a whole row of extra sheets I can click on to look at stuff.

Currently that row of tabs goes, "Bullion, Silver Dollars, Half dollars, Quarters, S.State Quarters, dimes, Buff. Nickels, Pennies, 19th Century, Commems., and gold. If I ever need another work sheet, it's easy to right click and stick another one in between existing ones. Then I just use the arrows at the side to scroll through them. Click on the tab to bring up whatever page I need.

Currently, I don't have much for pennies so that sheet is still blank.
Almost all of the other pages have formulas put in that total columns and calculates silver content.

Here's the key to this system. I've collected a lot of MS half dollars and have them in albums. I'm not even going to try to photograph all this. I just put a generic picture of a Kennedy half, then the dates for that set (example 1986-2003 heading), then the spreadsheet. This took up 3 pages on my Half dollars sheet.

Next, on the same half dollars sheet, Franklin halves, on their own individual, *printable* page. Again, generic pic, with the dates of the mintage. Then the spread sheet. Columns are in order as follows:

Date, MM, Grading Co., Grade, Qty., Purch. Date, Prch. Price, RB value, Comments. All the columns are adjusted to appropriate size as needed.

I picked up 3 Franklins for my set yesterday. These are nice ones. So, I fill in the rows, and then next to the date, I put an astrick, to signifiy that this date and MM has been purchased for the album. Other rows may have a 'qty.' but no asterick, signifying that I have not purchased a good one yet but may have 3 of them. I can enter this data in quickly and easily.

On the Buff. Nickels sheet, I put a page break at the top. So all the headings stay put, but you can scroll through all the dates.

Quarters sheet is only documenting silver quarters of various grades. If I buy a nice one, I enter it in. Enter 1 for the quantity. That '1' is automatically tallied into the total, and then another formula on the sheet calculates and tallies the new bullion total for quarters. This allows me to go through and add up total amount of silver owned in about 1 minute at any time.

Commemoratives have their own sheet. These I do individually take pictures of front and back. I insert and shrink them down to about a 1x1 square on the screen, then side by side. Each gets it's own informational section, ending with bullion content to the side. Just because it's fun to know. The pictures are shrunk down but are still high quality. All you have to do is grab a corner and stretch it out to see full screen. Then go to the top, click undo and it goes back to it's original state.

Keep in mind, all these separate sheets are stored on one file. You just click the tab of what you need to look at. Anybody can make one and customize it for your needs. The way mine is set up, probably isn't going to work for everybody's collecting habits but may work for quite a few.

If anybody would like to set one of these up, feel free to PM me if you have any questions. I feel this has been a quick, easy and informative way to keep track.

If I could remember how to do a screen shot again, I'd post a pic.

 

I just buy it, log it into excel, put the paperwork in a binder, and decide whether it goes into the safe or safe deposit box.

 

absolutely, I plan on taclijng some of it tonight while Im home. get some more in flips and such. as for keeping tabs on them, I am going to get the full version of "coin manage". But right now I just have them in labeled flips, with mintage, date, denomination, and I write semi key or Key on those ones.
all the flips reside in flip sized rectangular boxes..(meant to fit flips) and these are color coded so I can grab the right one the first time.
My world coins on the other hand are in a binder, in flips, and hopefully labelled appropriatley. latley my newest purchases have been stock piling on my desk, cause I want to show you guys, But I lost my camera

 

I think a documentation of your collection really depends on what you plan on doing with it in the future. For those of us who hope to someday pass it on to children or grandchildren, it's absolutely irresponsible to not have it well documented. For those that collect and sell, there's really less need to be thorough.
Guy~

 

True...only if it's an inheritance. Gifts are not subject to taxation. I'd suggest large inheritances be gifted. I know this as a fact, as my parents just gifted their summer home worth nearly ! million to my sister and I....no taxes due.
Guy~

 

I keep a notebook. Log the coins in as they arrive, put them either in a 2x2 or book. If in a 2x2, info goes on the flip too. In the notebook they get logged in with: year, type, mm, country, metal type & content, mintage, price I paid, grade, value, where I obtained the coin, rarity, where the coin is (in book, slab or flip), date obtained, not necessarily in that order. I missed quite a few (when I started assembling books) so total of the collection is actually higher than noted. I also have several other notations in the notebook. It will give my grandson a reasonable starting point when he inherits the collection. I just hope the notebook doesn't get misplaced! :headbang: I let him know where the collection is located, including his numismatic library.

As far as going back over the collection and making sure every single coin is logged, that would be way too much work now.

 

Same with me except I've never sold a coin. Gave plenty away, but never sold one. Not even sure how.
To catalog my coins is way to late. For example over 3,000 Mercury Dimes alone. Over 100 Whitman albums and most full. Just to much STUFF.

 

I figure if I take the next 18 years off of work I can get started.

I know what I got for the most part just ain't sure where it all is.