Keeping Track of What You Got

vtbub

I've searched through the threads here, but how do you keep track of what you all have.

Up to now, I've been buying sets, but am now buying raw lots. Is there a "easy" way to keep track of what you have? I purchased "Pro-Baseball" from mwp software, but it is not the most user friendly thing on the planet and editing is hard. Excel, without a database attached, seems like too much work. Have any of you reached a happy medium?

Porkchop

I'd like to know too because it would be nice to catalog the stuff I collected as a kid.

orutulsa

I catalog two ways: 1) I use the free My Collections feature on beckett.com . 2) I have absolutely everything logged in excel. I have a separate spreadsheet for each set or era of cards or player collection. On each sheet, I put a heading of the set name, then I list each card #, card name and quantity that I have. You have to be diligent with either method, but they both are pretty comprehensive tools.

TheVon

I just put my stuff in boxes, grab a Sharpie and write on the boxes, and then remember or forget what I have until I have a need for it and then I just go look. It's just my opinion, but trying to get an encyclopedic inventory of raw stuff, especially modern stuff, is a waste of time.

larryallen73

I have an Excel spreadsheet where I list the more valuable cards.

BobbyVCP

At Vintage Card Prices you can create a My Collection and customize it. You can create groups like 1952 Topps or T206, ETC. As well as add notes to each card. This is a free feature but you don't get the values.

MrG

I use VCP for all of my graded inventory (as well as excel), and the My Collections feature on beckett.com for my raw sets, and odd ball raw cards. For my monster boxes of raw cards, I have a similiar system to TheVon, and put a sharpie to the monster box.

Kurtman9

Microsoft Excel is an easy and free (if you have it) way to keep track of what you have.

SoonerCowboy

I've used The Card Collector software for 10 years now. Check out their website: The Card Collector

stown

<< <i>Microsoft Excel is an easy and free (if you have it) way to keep track of what you have. >>



AMEN!

This is a work that's always in progress. Tweak something here or there but otherwise, really simple and took no time putting together.

The 1st two rows of prices are from Beckett. You can sign up for a month and copy/paste all the checklists you need for only $5.

The others are from SMR.



I add notes to the right; such as extras, previous prices on certain cards, etc.

Autosum the number of cards I don't have and color code for ones that I do (yellow is fine, red badly needs upgrade, grey is pending, and orange is could use an upgrade but not needed)

If you want to get all fancy, you can hyperlink with a picture uploaded in photobucket or even ebay auctions.

Color coded tabs to represent baseball or football..

I promise you, I'm the ultimate lazy procrastinator and I don't consider it work; just being somewhat responsible of my collection.

hofautos

I keep all my expensive cards at a baseball card shop on consinement. It serves several purposes...

1. insurance
2. They give me spreadsheet copy of all my cards
3. Some actually sell at nice prices
4. Good way to show them off with others
5. Sometimes people like to pick up the cards in person - so i introduce them to my friends card shop
6. Cheaper than a safety deposit box, but almost as accessible

The only cards i don't keep at the card shop are inexpensive cards that aren't for sale (like my psa/dna cards), but most things have a price.

Allen

I have a photographic memory.

vtbub

Thanks for the responses. Has anyone built anything through MS Access?

RonBurgundy

Here's the system I developed just recently:

I print off PSA pop reports for each year I collect. I then write the grade, cert. number, and price I paid off to the side. If the card is raw I just mark "R" and the price, leaving room to change it if the card gets graded. This way I can keep a running tally of my investment for each year. Then I also enter all of my graded stuff on VCP, with the same information. This serves 2 purposes - to have a dollar amount of my graded card investments as well as a second place to record cert. numbers in the event something ever happens to my stuff.

It takes time to do it both ways but when I'm finished I think it will serve me well in the long run.



Ron

clydecoolidge

VCP is pretty easy to look up cards and add them to "your collection" (which is a feature on a free account). For the price of upgrading, I think it's worth it to sign up to get past/present auction prices of all major grading companies from ebay and major auction houses. As soon as I have the extra cash, I'm gonna upgrade. It's also a great way to get a current, up-to-date value of your collection.I use Excel for some things also.