Spreadsheet question

Davey Crockett

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2015
Posts
13,691
Likes
1,192
Points
553
Location
Boondocks
I'm wondering if any of you know of a windows compatible spreadsheet that would work good to inventory coins. I'd like to find one with some artificial intelligence type of thingy that I can just type date and series letter and it will automatically categorize it within the series along with the duplicates. I'm ok spending a few bucks if it will do what I want it to but freebies would be even better. Thanks.
 


guywhofishes

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2015
Posts
28,632
Likes
3,839
Points
948
Location
Faaargo, ND
I'd take photos, then name the photo with a system such as Dime_1973_S_Blah_bla.jpg

Then, in any modern windows file browser, you could see all your dimes (and how many) by searching the coin photo folder with "Dime_"

You could see every dime from 1973 by searching with "Dime_1973"

If you have dupes - every time a new one comes along you add a roman numeral to the end. If you already own it it will ask you if you want to overwrite the old file. Then you'd know you need to add another roman numeral to your new coin.

I'm sorta lazy - so that's how I'd do it. Ha ha. How many coins? If just 100s then this'll work great.
 

Allen

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2015
Posts
10,474
Likes
1,485
Points
553
Location
Lincoln, kinda...
I would use Excel if it were me, but that's just personal preference.

You might be plenty happy with Google Sheets, though.
 

ndbwhunter

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2015
Posts
1,286
Likes
16
Points
191
I would just use the filter and sort functions in excel. Create headers across the top for the various categories (series, year, etc.), and the input the data in the rows below. Then you'll be able to sort by any column and could also add filters to pull specific data from any of the columns.
 

Davey Crockett

Founding Member
Founding Member
Thread starter
Joined
Apr 22, 2015
Posts
13,691
Likes
1,192
Points
553
Location
Boondocks
I'll have to try excel again, I used it in the past for expenses and inventory but I don't remember it jumping to the correct column when typing in the header. Last I looked some up a few years ago they weren't worth much over face value but I gave some old pennies to grandkids and they asked Alexa what they are worth and I was surprised of the collector values unless Alexa was pulling our leg. Mostly just a waste of time but I have extra during these cold months.

- - - Updated - - -

My goal is to not have to identify which columns and rows every time I make an entry if there is such a thing .
 


Retired Educator

★★★★★ Legendary Member
Joined
May 4, 2016
Posts
3,226
Likes
183
Points
273
Location
North Dakota
I've never been very good at a hobby related to collecting anything. I've often wondered how many dollars at today's values I've gone through using baseball cards in the spokes of my bike when young so it sounded like a motorcycle. Pretty sure I shredded some that would be worth something today. No patience was probably my biggest drawback.
 

Allen

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2015
Posts
10,474
Likes
1,485
Points
553
Location
Lincoln, kinda...
I am sure not a coin collector of anything worthwhile, but might I suggest a workbook containing an individual worksheet for each denomination? Cents in one worksheet, nickels in another, dimes, etc, etc. That way you would simply open up the Excel file, click on the tab for the respective denomination, and enter the details under some column headers that you choose. I don't know how Excel would be able to auto-fill any of the respective cells for you though, that seems like it would need to be able to read the coin.`

Column headers could even be frozen so you can scroll around and still see the headers if you have enough of a given denomination.

Maybe go something like "year", "mint", "condition", "est value"?

I don't know, just kinda spitballing here.
 

Sluggo

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 14, 2015
Posts
2,574
Likes
415
Points
333
Location
Bismarck
I have a couple jars of old coins. I imagine my kids will get them some day, will take them to the bank, pour them in the change counter machine and get face value for them.
 


Wirehair

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 16, 2015
Posts
615
Likes
166
Points
210
Location
Bismarck
I have used Excel as well for organizing a coin collection. Found it helpful to have columns for mint location (D, etc.) as well as general condition. I organized a coin collection that I had received from a family member. I sort the list by coin type/ denomination. Have found it helpful when visiting with folks at coin shows and dealers. Condition is everything in any collection, but we are lucky enough to have a few 1909-S VDB Lincoln pennies etc which tends to get good discussion started. Excel worked well for me.
 

Shockwave

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2015
Posts
894
Likes
302
Points
248
Location
Bismarck
I have a couple jars of old coins. I imagine my kids will get them some day, will take them to the bank, pour them in the change counter machine and get face value for them.

My Dad just gave me a bunch of coins that belonged to my Grandpa. There's some early 1900 coins in there and I've thought about taking them somewhere to get a value on them. I think the earliest was 1914 or something like that.
 

TFX 186

★★★★★ Legendary Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2016
Posts
839
Likes
132
Points
213
Location
NW ND
My Dad just gave me a bunch of coins that belonged to my Grandpa. There's some early 1900 coins in there and I've thought about taking them somewhere to get a value on them. I think the earliest was 1914 or something like that.
Sluggo & Shockwave,
My Dad had a pretty extensive coin collection that he worked on for years. I'm thinking since the early 70's. All his coins were kept in the coin books. I know pretty much nothing about it. He left it to my brother and myself. We haven't done anything with it at all. Not even dug them out and looked or even discussed what to do with them. No one in the immediate family collects coins. My question is, what the heck should a guy do or how to even start to figure out if it's worth anything??? Someone whose more in the know about this stuff and can give us a clue on how to start and with someone we can trust. Thanks
Fish On!
 

Shockwave

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2015
Posts
894
Likes
302
Points
248
Location
Bismarck
Sluggo & Shockwave,
My Dad had a pretty extensive coin collection that he worked on for years. I'm thinking since the early 70's. All his coins were kept in the coin books. I know pretty much nothing about it. He left it to my brother and myself. We haven't done anything with it at all. Not even dug them out and looked or even discussed what to do with them. No one in the immediate family collects coins. My question is, what the heck should a guy do or how to even start to figure out if it's worth anything??? Someone whose more in the know about this stuff and can give us a clue on how to start and with someone we can trust. Thanks

We have an Antique coin place here in Bismarck. I have been thinking about taking them there to see if they can give me a general idea of what I have.
 

Sluggo

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 14, 2015
Posts
2,574
Likes
415
Points
333
Location
Bismarck
Sluggo & Shockwave,
My question is, what the heck should a guy do or how to even start to figure out if it's worth anything??? Someone whose more in the know about this stuff and can give us a clue on how to start and with someone we can trust. Thanks
Fish On!

I bought a book 20 years ago that had current prices for coins so I could look up a coin's value. The book is outdated now, of course, and we have the internet now. I would probably take, say 20 of the coins I think might be worth the most, to the Coin place in the Kirkwood mall as Shockwave suggested, and let them price them. If that goes well, you could always take more in after that. Nothing I have seems to be worth a whole lot. I actually stumbled across a 1905 indian head penny not that long ago and thought for sure that would be valuable. I did a little research and I am not going to get rich off of it. It's one of those things where it's only worth what you can find someone to pay.
 


Dryfly36

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2015
Posts
85
Likes
22
Points
108
My dad sold some of his coins to a coin store in Bismarck before he passed away. I don't know the name, but he was happy working with the guy. I have the rest of his collection, which is huge, and I have been thinking about contacting the guy or possibly have a coin auction. I will check with my mom to see if she knows the name.
 

TFX 186

★★★★★ Legendary Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2016
Posts
839
Likes
132
Points
213
Location
NW ND
Thanks, I'll give it a whirl.
Sorry to hijack your thread Davey.
I messed around with excel spreadsheets enough to know I sucked at it and I found someone who could set up the sheet exactly how I wanted it....... and they made it look easy!
Good luck Davey
Fish On!
 

Davey Crockett

Founding Member
Founding Member
Thread starter
Joined
Apr 22, 2015
Posts
13,691
Likes
1,192
Points
553
Location
Boondocks
Sorry to hijack your thread Davey.
I messed around with excel spreadsheets enough to know I sucked at it and I found someone who could set up the sheet exactly how I wanted it....... and they made it look easy!
Good luck Davey
Fish On!


No hijack TFX , all good information. I'm a dummy when it comes to computer and software language. I used excel for business and didn't understand what table was by name but it's how I did my bids and invoices , only I did everything the hard way. I learned a bunch in the vids I watched on youtube , mostly time saving shortcuts. Also watched a couple vids on software for coin collectors that I'll learn more about. the ones I watched are able convert the results onto excel .

What I was hoping for was voice command so I could be looking at the coin and verbally describe it instead of typing. I don't know how accurate Alexa is but it was pretty cool watching the grand kids get values on thier treasures in about 15 seconds , I know they would love to sit down with a spreadsheet and ask Alexa the values.
 

Recent Posts

Friends of NDA

Top Posters of the Month

  • This month: 159
  • This month: 133
  • This month: 116
  • This month: 108
  • This month: 104
  • This month: 86
  • This month: 82
  • This month: 76
  • This month: 75
  • This month: 74
Top Bottom