Just wondering what everyone thinks is the best coin collecting software to have, been looking around as I want to get all my collection in the software so its easy to keep track of what I have, and what I want.
I've only tried CoinManage 2008 but personally it didnt work well for me. Alot of collectors like CoinManage and there are many opinions about it..good and bad. Now, I just do it the old fashioned way and write it all down in a journal I keep just for my coins. Maybe someday I'll find something that works for me. I'm just not very computer literate, not enough to create my own program anyway. Here's some info if you're interested... http://www.libertystreet.com/shots21.htm
Excel - and make it do what I want it to do rather then what someone else thinks I ought to be doing.
I have been kicking around a few prototypes but can't decide on the best format... for now I guess I'll stick with OOo calc (create a hyperlink to the image). I wrote one program that embeds several images into one file along with the data (kind of like a word document) and the software cycles through a directory. I wrote one that interfaces to an access db that is data-centric (links to images displaying in a picturebox). The thing is, OOo calc is easy to rearrange the fields or cut/copy/paste between cells... and the macros are handy for "what if" scenarios.. I just keep going back to it. Plus its open source.
Microsoft Excel is the only way to go as far as I am concerned. You can create your own version of the list you want. I have separet lists for Lincolns, Nickels, Dimes, Washington Qtr's, State Quarters, Halfs, & Dollars. I also have a Type coin list which includes wheats & older, Buffalo's & older, Mercurys & older, Standing Libertys & older, Walkers & older, Morgans/Peace & older, Proofs, uncirulated sets and miscellenious items & tokens. Works really well and doesn't cost for an expense program. 1st col. is year, 2nd col is mint, 3rd col is qty. 4th col is remarks, such as quality or grade, 5th col is date purchased, 6th col is cost, 7th col is source, and 8th col is current date & value.
I use Excel also. But for those who are smarter than I, MS Access is another possibility. It comes packaged with a version of MS Office and is a relational database. You can get REAL fancy with it but the learning curve is long and steep. With Excel you can link images too. I figured it out. No, the actual image doesn't show in the spreadsheet, but one click on the link and you see it.
The easy way is to buy Coin Elite. I can't think of anything it won't do. http://www.trovesoftware.com/coinelitescreenshots.html
The Coin Elite software isn't Mac compatible, so that's not an option for us. Great idea on using Excel -- it's already on both of our laptops. :thumb: I'm going to try and use it to create a template for Garrett to keep track of his collection. It would also be useful to have it as an inventory for what is in the safety deposit box at the bank. Our current method of keeping track of coins is a composition notebook that Garrett has used since he was 8 or 9, so we really do need to update our system. Reading hieroglyphics would probably be easier than reading his writing from back then. I'm not that familiar with Excel, my experience with it is mostly just filling in the blanks on forms someone else created, any tips on making the template?
Mine is pretty much free-form. I select Row 1, and set it to bold with (CTRL-B) and start typing in each cell the headings I want. Then I select Cell A2 and do "Window->Freeze Pane"; that way the heading is always displayed on the top (even if you are on row 435 ) The only problems I have with Excel (which I use at work; at home I use open office) are that (1) when I click on a hyperlink excel is minimized (really annoying) and (2) No matter what application I set as the default image viewer (I like irfanView BTW), the image ALWAYS comes up in IE. On OOo, I don't have those annoyances. (Anybody know how to adjust this?) At work, we have MS-Office 2000.
use the software already on Heritage written in PHP. BTW - if your using Macs you might as well go all the way and use something better like Umbuntu Linux. You get far better stability, cheaper costs and more software. http://www.ubuntu.com/ Ruben
The nice thing about Excel is it is probably on every computer on Earth. Anywhere you go you can take a copy of your information and it will usually be usable anywhere. If you purchase a program, the chances of you being able to use it somewhere else is slim to very little. If you want to see your info, you need that special program and possibly 99% of the people or companies would not allow you to install your program on thier equipment.
