Not what's on it but how you keep it. Post-Its and scraps of paper? On a PC? On a dealer site? Index cards? Loose-leaf paper in a binder? In your head? Don't keep one? Or are you one of those wondering "What's a Want List?"? I tend to waiver between "Don't keep one" and Post-It Notes. :desk:
Oh gosh, I keep one on paper, I keep one in my head, I keep a list of needs for certain sets in my car for quick extraction when ness.
Another relevant question might be, how can I acquire the items on my want list without causing too much dissention (from the hubbus)? So, my strategy has been to focus on a certain coin, like the 1921 Peace, put a few of them on my watchlist on ebay, (especially ones that sell for a lot) and that way when I actually do buy one I have accumulated lots of evidence to support the contention that I got a great deal... Anyone else out there go to such lengths, or is it a female thing? Oh well...I work hard; may as well enjoy it!
Notebook for the most part but don't really keep one I buy what I like when I see it whether I have one or not if the price is right. Then if I have alot of multiples I keep the best and use the surplus as trade bait
I keep one in my head. I have written one down before. I've also done what Moonshadow has said and had a long watch list in ebay. Mostly just trying to see what they bring in that market. One nice thing about heritage or teletrade is you can set a wish list and they will email you when they have a match that is coming up in auction.
I just keep it in my head for the most part. Occasionally I will write down some coins I need for a set when I go to a show, but I rarely buy many of them and end up making impulse buys instead.
Prior to a coin show I sit down with my present list at the computer. Bring up a Excel sheet, make many columns of what I need, want, can afford, should buy, etc. Then I list all the possible prices of those. I now print this out and immediately tear it up, throw in the garbage and head off to the coin show. All just kidding. I made a list of coins needed to complete Albums a long, long time ago. It is slowly turning yellow. It is scribbled with coin types and dates on both sides. It has had coins scratched off, rewritten, underlined, circled, etc. I suspect it is several years old or more. I carry it to all the coin shows I go to. Many dealers see you with a list and ask if they can see it. When I show them this thing they usually say something like isn't it time for a new list?
On my previous post I mentioned my old, horrible list. However, I would like to mention that in real life I have a massive list in my computer and it is printed out and put in 3 ringed binders. I do not usually take anything but my old list to coins shows though. I know what I need, want, could use and I just don't like those dealers trying to see my list.
LOL! Ditto. I usually store the list in my head. I've found it changes often enough to where it's not worth writing it down. A few months ago, all i could think about were Liberty head gold pieces. Now I'm on an indian kick and only want to work on my Buffalo nickel set and finally get an indian head half eagle. Who knows? Maybe by the time I go back to a show, I'll be focusing on Peace dollars and Franklin halves.
I keep a list of a few most needed or wanted in my head and the rest I have to write down on index cards to take along to shows. I went to a coin show today without a list for the first time and I was shopping with no direction whatsoever. I hated it. From now on Im taking my index cards along.
my want list is in my head! 06 Reverse Proof Eagle Silver MS64 St Gaudens 09 S VDB 22 no d 14 d MS65 Oregon Trail Commemorative
