How To Label A Cardboard 2x2

I've never heard of a standard that people are expected to follow.

For US coins, this is what I do...top left is the year, top right is the grade, bottom left any notes like "cleaned" or "VF Details" and bottom right is the price if I plan to sell at a coin show. On the reverse top right is the date I bought it, reverse bottom left is a purchase code (like CS for buying it at a coin show) and bottom right is my cost coded so that I know what I spent on it.

For foreign coins I do country on top left, then denom, then year, also include KM#. I dont put a grade because I dont know enough to grade foreign coins. Bottom right is the price. On the reverse, its the same as US coins.

coinhunter, how would you work out a code?

pick a word or phrase that has 10 or more different letters in it and assign each letter to a number.

Example:
Numismatists rule
1=N
2=u
3=m
4=i
5=s
6=a because m was already used.
7=t
8=r because I,s & t are used already.
9=u
0=l

so if you paid $305 for a coin the code would be mls or mlsll if you want to keep the .00 on the prices.

As others have said, there's no standard, you're free to do whatever you like. You don't even have to do all of your 2x2s the same way, though if you're a dealer or seller, it's good for your customers if all the information is in the same place on all your 2x2s, so they're not wasting time hunting for the information they need.

My personal system is similar to what others have said.

On the front:
- Top left: country. Below that, denomination.
- Top right: date, parallel with denomination. Mintmark (if present) directly below the date.
- Below the coin: Any special notes, varieties or other comments about the coin.
- Far bottom right: price paid code.

On the back:
- Top left: catalogue number. Krause for modern, Sear for ancient, Spink for English hammered, etc.
- Top right: Sap number. Each coin in my collection has a unique number, which among other things helps me find it on my computer, both in my database and in my picture archive.
- Bottom: provenance details: usually just an abbreviation of where I bought it and when, though if further provenance is known I record it here too. I also record a "case date", when the coin went into that particular 2x2 (if it wasn't the same date as when I bought it), so in the event that I've bought a bad batch of 2x2s I can track down it and the other coins that were encased at the same time.

I don't record the grade on the 2x2, mainly because I realize that my grading standards change with time. I've been putting coins into 2x2s since I was ten, and the grades I put on those earliest 2x2s are laughably naive to me today. I sometimes also re-use the same 2x2 if I buy an upgrade.


Again, I don't think it's really a major concern, since the ink's on the outside and the coin's on the inside, and the amount of ink we're talking about is usually quite small. My choice of pens is dictated more by ones that I'm forced to write neatly with, since my handwriting needs all the help it can get.

But if you're worried, try this simple test: colour in a square on a piece of paper, and leave it on a table or benchtop to dry overnight. Come back next morning and smell it. If it still has a strong inky or chemical smell, then it's the kind of ink that could potentially cause problems if a lot of it is sealed up in a small space with your coins.

Here's mine

On the front:
- Top right: date and mint mark, for example 1909-S
- Top Left: anything special or notable, for example: cleaned
- Bottom right: Grade.

On the back:
- Top right: my database 4 digit serial number (upside down). I'm not sure why I got in the habit of upside down? This serial number will tie into my MS Access database where I keep track of price paid, selling price, etc.

Please, don't write on the coins.

Do you guys use staples on these? I do and sometimes they stick out and jerk me or hook onto the coin behing it. I read that someone used tape. Ony opinions?

Yes Waredu that is what I will do. I was pushing them down with my fingernail but I will use pliers now. Thanks.