Coin collectors help is needed!

[boogie-migration]

Hi everyone! I'm not a coin collector but I need to know how describe a coin as an item of collection. For example, if I collect musical CDs, each CD in my collection can be described like this: title, artist, year, genre and etc.

 

How can I describe a coin? Somebody can help me with it?

 

[CarlWohlforth]

Type, date, mint, condition.

 

For example:

 

Jefferson Nickel, 1945, S (San Francisco), MS 65 (Mint State 65)

 

As a beginner it is very difficult to get the condition right. In fact it is difficult for some experience folks to get the grade right So you could just guess if the coin is poor, good or nice. It would help a lot to get the Red Book to help identify the type and to help locate where the mint mark is. There is also basic grading info too. The official title is "A Guide Book of United States Coins."

[Wihlborg]

Boogie,

 

You can make a coins description as simple or as complicated as you like, but in general coins are most often described in the following manner. Country that minted it, the date it was minted, the denomination of the coin, whether it is a proof or business strike & the coins grade. Some other things you might add are the type of metal it is minted of and how many were minted.

 

Hope this helps

 

John

 

 

[davefperry]

The redbook will also help in identifying varieties of coins such as the 1878 Morgan with 8 feathers. It would also help spotting double mint marks, etc. For foreign coins other inexpensive books can be had. A library trip may be in order for a look at some better books. It can be very interesting so have fun.

[mark]

One last item that would be of use is if the coin is graded by a third party grading company, list the name of the grading company that assigned the grade. Some grading companies have more crediblity than others.

 

Mark

[boogie-migration]

First of all I want to say thanks to everyone who has answered my post. As I said in my initial post, I'm not coin collector, but I've task to create something like a template of generic coin collection in my software. Unfortunately it's not possible to me to get books you all talk about. Anyway, here is the result:

 

1. Name

2. Type

3. Denomination

4. Variety

5. Date

6. Country

7. Mint

8. Mint Mark

9. Mintage

10. Metal (AB/AL/AU/BS/BZ/CN/CO/IR/NB/NI/ST/SV/ZN/clad/plated)

11. Weight

12. Grade/condition (MSxx, AUxx, ... AG-x, F-x, P-x)

13. Graded by

14. Krause #

15. Quantity

16. Market Value

17. Purchased

18. Purchase Price

19. Sold

20. Sell Price

21. Comment

 

Please, correct me.

 

PS: Sorry for my bad English.

 

[Count_Erfit]

Looks like a great set of fields for a nice detailed database. If sorted by fields it should do fine for taxes, insurance or just plain record keeping.

 

 

[TomB]

You have a very extensive list of coin details there and it would help someone quite a bit if they had to go through your coins. You may want to include from whom you buy each piece and also, if the coin is in a slab, the slab certification number. Good luck.

[chrisfuccione]

You have a very extensive list of coin details there and it would help someone quite a bit if they had to go through your coins. You may want to include from whom you buy each piece and also, if the coin is in a slab, the slab certification number. Good luck.

 

That is a great suggestion! Because a lot of people who insure their coins or get them stolen will need that information. CHRIS

[spy88]

Boogie, if you can go online, you can get the books. Any online book store will sell and ship the books of your choice. All you need is a credit card!

 

Carl, you forgot FS!

 

David

[boogie-migration]

Hi everyone!

 

Finally I have implemented the things we discussed and have released it as the collection template in the new version of my software for collectors. It is called 'Collmate'. Try it! You can find more details about it at http://www.sidency.com

 

Direct links to download the trial version:

http://www.sidency.com/download/collmate.zip or

http://www.sidency.com/download/collmate-setup.exe

 

I hope you'll like it.

 

Everyone who has spent time to help me in this thread can get the discount. Contact me if you liked program.

[Leothelion]

First of all I want to say thanks to everyone who has answered my post. As I said in my initial post, I'm not coin collector, but I've task to create something like a template of generic coin collection in my software. Unfortunately it's not possible to me to get books you all talk about. Anyway, here is the result:

 

1. Name

2. Type

3. Denomination

4. Variety

5. Date

6. Country

7. Mint

8. Mint Mark

9. Mintage

10. Metal (AB/AL/AU/BS/BZ/CN/CO/IR/NB/NI/ST/SV/ZN/clad/plated)

11. Weight

12. Grade/condition (MSxx, AUxx, ... AG-x, F-x, P-x)

13. Graded by

14. Krause #

15. Quantity

16. Market Value

17. Purchased

18. Purchase Price

19. Sold

20. Sell Price

21. Comment

 

Please, correct me.

 

PS: Sorry for my bad English.

 

Looks interesting but the sequence may need reprioritized.

I 'd think #6 country should top the list.

 

Leo

[boogie-migration]

Looks interesting but the sequence may need reprioritized.

I 'd think #6 country should top the list.

 

Thank you for your answer, Leo!

 

In Collmate it is possible for collector to change sequence, delete or add new data field in the collection catalogue. So you can redefine any of existing or predefined collection or create your own collection catalogue to store only information you want.