Organization Techniques

I use FileMaker Pro and really like it, though my coin database is not as up-to-date as I'd like it to be, it needs a rewrite. Back when I was using it I would attach photos and they were too big for the computer era to keep up back then. I have been doing my numismatic library, and have it very much up to date now and really like it. I will try to show some screenshots later today.

I primarily use a Macintosh laptop but it is also good for Windows and works to create webpages as well. Right now there is a buy one get one copy free deal going on for the holidays. A good deal if anyone wants to take advantage of it and has a friend needs a database too. You can get a full functioning demo to try.

My real issue is that in my collecting interest ( Two Cent Pieces), there is nothing commercially available that would work . For example 1864 large motto, I have several hundred of them, as I collect by die variety. What I find I need is, multiple photographs of each coin in my collection with each entry record. I like using the database for its relational purposes to another database showing my wants.

A spreadsheet program like Excel would work just as well, but I was programming FileMaker Pro databases for companies at the time, it was a natural choice to gravitate towards it for my own purposes.

The newer version, with all of its web capabilities, makes perfect sense, as it will self build smart phone screens and allow for use while I'm at coin shows and for the new website I am working on. It can handle shipping labels monthly, quarterly, yearly tax printouts, inventory list for insurance reasons etc. etc.

My own way may not be the best for everyone especially if you don't want to learn how to program a database but it's not very hard there is a lot of good resources available to help and it's one heck of a powerful program for not a lot of cash outlay.

Thx "westcoin" ... it seems that, if I am willing to learn some simple database programming, (excel, filemaker) I may be able to avoid the commercially available "collecting" software ...

Here are some screen shots of the database I'm using, it could use a lot more in the way of ergonomic design, I can add that later and have quite a few ugly pages with buttons that perform tasks for searches, look-ups, new record entry, record deletions, look-ups from other relational databases, but until I clean them up they would just be confusing to look at - so here are a few pages I use often, at this point in the design was about 30 minutes of work in building it.

This DB looks at the main DB and pulls records from any category marked "AUCTION" and runs them through a sort formula that looks to see if the PRL is listed as NO - if that is so, then it adds the record to the NOPRL DB, so I can keep a lookout for certain PRLs I still need. A neat feature of having a set of databases that are all relational, and use each other to preform look-ups and record matching.








This page shows a complete entry page with photo and notes added, "prices blurred out."


This one shows another listing page, "prices blurred out along with some purchaser information" The size, category, along with several other columns are from a look up list of predetermined items, Category would be "Auction, Price List, or Reference" Size is the size of the book another looked up table listing of commonly used bookseller sizes.

There are very similar display pages that list who and when I bought them from, how much I paid for them, if they are still currently owned, and if sold/traded, to whom and for how much. I can use formulas to show how much I've paid by a date range, or even sold if wanted, with a profit/loss percentage. Every record has a creation date and a unique ID assigned to it, these are NOT modifiable nor can they be deleted, so every item becomes unique for look-ups, also I often have multiple copies of the same book/catalog.

That is something I need to work on in the coming month.

Now here is how the dinosaur does his.

My coin collection is insured thus I have all my receipts saved in a file cabinet. The insurance company charges $35 per $10,000 a year.
First the paper log:



Then the photos save on the computer:








Finally photo bucket for posting images.

@ trout1105: When a collection grows quickly as yours seems to be doing, it can be twice as much work maintaining a data base, especially if you have other time consuming obligations.
I just put all of the information relating to the coin on the cardboard of the 2x2, if the coin inside justifies it, for whatever reason.

When you have a lot of slabbed coins they need to be stored and arranged in a logical way, so they can easily be found. a supporting data base may help this direction, especially when it comes to records of when acquired and how much was paid for the coin. That information may be very useful if the coin is being sold again.

A wonderful topic and I thoroughly enjoyed reading the details about different organizational techniques. Thanks for taking the time to show and explain your systems. I even saw a couple of inventory specifications that I don't use now, but might use in the future.

I am very far behind the curve as I'm STILL updating my collection from the old 'Y' numbers to the SCWC numbers. The world paper collection is "okay" but still not up to date with new numbers. Now that I'm learning to use a computer maybe I'll catch up. LOL

Terrific feedback ... I thank you all for your input.

The key obviously is action ... make a decision and "get er done"

Merry Christmas to all and to "Coin" a phrase HAPPY NEW YEAR !