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[linuxabuser]

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[gracecollector]

Cameos (Other identifiable players pictured on card)
ConditionNotes

Instead of EstPrice, I've been putting in my spreadsheet a "Bottom End" price. I'm beginning to think about what my kids need to know about my collection should I die. This price reflects a "don't sell this card under this price or you're getting ripped off" price - and its much less than book value. It's a price almost any dealer would jump at. But it is meant to give my inheritors a price they know they shouldn't sell the card under. Most important for the higher end cards in your collection. But you could always use your EstPrice and say don't sell for less than XX% of this price.

Right now, I have one Excel sheet for every set I collect. They're not easy to search, unless I'm in front of a computer. And even then, searching takes time. I'm putting together one database, for all of the sets I collect. This will have entries for cards I have, and cards I do not, since I'll need them eventually.

I would like FCB's input on what data should be recorded about each card. I'm trying to avoid a generic "notes" field, because that would be unstructured and muddy the search results. Below are the properties I have so far. What else would you add?

PlayerName
AcqCost (Acquisition cost)
AcqFrom (Acquired from - eBay, COMC, etc.)
Brand (Topps, Upper Deck)
CardNum (Numeric or letters, doesn't matter)
EstPrice (Estimated price I could sell it for)
InInventory (true/false)
InTransit (true/false - I don't count it as being in my inventory until I take possession)
Qty
Set
Subset
Year
Authenticator
Grade
Redemption (true or false)
QtyMade (what's it short printed or numbered to)
ItemID (this will be my own creation to uniquely identify each card)

 

[fordman]

I used Google Forms to make my database. Easier to click tick/drop down boxes vs entering info into excel. Google Forms will export your choices to a spreadsheet form. I didnt put in anything about how acquired or value. I did have how I have them stored; 1-touch, top loader, binder and where they're located; JB Box 1 or Drawer R2 D1 (Row 2, drawer 1).

I made a quick video over a year ago about how I use it.


It works for me and hopefully may work for someone else.

Fordman

 

[Letch77]

I made a quick video over a year ago about how I use it.

Good thing you didn't have any risque adult sites in your bookmarks or open browser tabs! :lol:

I use Google Sheets and have a workbook for my player collection, complete/working sets, cards for sale/trade, and baseball memorabilia.

- The "player collection" workbook is tabbed by year with each sheet containing Year, Card No., Set Name, Info/Notes/Paid, SN/Print Run, In PC (1 or blank), Backup PC (1 or blank), and Extras (or sale/trade). Any storage location other than the super shoebox is entered as a note in the appropriate cell under PC, Backup, or Extras. Each sheet sums the 3 columns and a Totals tab adds up each year's numbers to tabulate the total number of PC, Backup, and Extra cards that I have, respectively. This sheet also serves as a checklist for what I don't have. I like the idea of a "don't sell for less than this" column for the very reason Gracecollector said.

- My "sets" sheet is simpler; sorted into tabs by sets I'm working on or have finished, with a checklist and separate column showing the card numbers I'm missing (for quick reference). Then I have a cover tab where I list the year, set (w/ factory or hand collated), # of cards in hand, # of cards in set, % complete, and number of complete sets.

- "Baseball Memorabilia" is just a free-for-all. Haha!!!!

It seems overwhelming when setting up each workbook and the outside world may think you're crazy, but once it's set, it's very easy to navigate and track your collection. Have fun!

 

[swish54_99]

I think it would be a tall task to keep up on prices of what every card you have would sell for. If it's a vintage card, those are pretty set in price, but for modern, they fluctuate so much, you'd constantly be updating that field. Maybe just have a field marked by an * or X, on the ones that are more valuable so that whoever is selling your collection, would know "hey, this is a valuable card and I shouldn't sell if for $1."

 

[metallicalex777]

Right now, I have one Excel sheet for every set I collect. They're not easy to search, unless I'm in front of a computer. And even then, searching takes time. I'm putting together one database, for all of the sets I collect. This will have entries for cards I have, and cards I do not, since I'll need them eventually.

I would like FCB's input on what data should be recorded about each card. I'm trying to avoid a generic "notes" field, because that would be unstructured and muddy the search results. Below are the properties I have so far. What else would you add?

PlayerName
AcqCost (Acquisition cost)
AcqFrom (Acquired from - eBay, COMC, etc.)
Brand (Topps, Upper Deck)
CardNum (Numeric or letters, doesn't matter)
EstPrice (Estimated price I could sell it for)
InInventory (true/false)
InTransit (true/false - I don't count it as being in my inventory until I take possession)
Qty
Set
Subset
Year
Authenticator
Grade
Redemption (true or false)
QtyMade (what's it short printed or numbered to)
ItemID (this will be my own creation to uniquely identify each card)

Since you are already manually staging up your database with what looks like fixed to your custom itemID, I would add the following:
AcqType (Purchase, Trade, Gift, Other (inheritance/found on road/etc))
CardType (Certified Autograph, Relic, Certified Autograph w/ Relic, No Autograph/Relic, IP Autograph)

If you want to get tedious, maybe add these:
DieCut (true/false)
Layout (Horizontal, Vertical)

 

[Calripkenjrcollector]

Serial Numbered to? Border colors, etc... i distinguish whether Jersey or Patch also...

 

[onionring9]

I've got a large database like this. When I get a chance I'll go through and show you what I have. Just marking this so I don't lose the thread.

 

[nevermore]

Nice idea. I've been using a spreadsheet since 2003 for my collections and sets.Nothing fancy but it has worked for me all these years. I wish I had kept track cost next to each card. Instead, I keep a tally of my purchases and sales by date.

I have an offline spreadsheet as well as a website. it would be nice to consolidate both of these so I don't have to update each thing in multiple places. I like your template so far.

I want to upgrade my method to allow for in depth characterization for my vintage cards so I know which ones I need to upgrade by adding grades/condition next to each card. This would help me greatly at shows.

What about a field for team? I didn't see it on your list. The website is not unloading fully for my phone

 

[mrmopar]

What about a field for team? I didn't see it on your list. The website is not unloading fully for my phone

I guess it really depends on what you'll use the data base for when searching in the future.

Team Name - That is what I was going to say, had it not already been mentioned. Unless you only collect 1 team, I find this category to not only be useful, but critical. I think this is one of the most underutilized search keyword categories on ebay today. So many things that I would possibly want to see or win that would easily fall under a simple "Dodgers" search are missed because the brainchildren selling their items feels "RARE or LOOK" is a better use of space than a team name??? Lots of team collectors out there. I never understood using terms that are very unlikely to be used for searching in a title. Put them in your description if you must have them. This is ebay though, not a searchable spreadsheet.

 

[mrmopar]

Team would be helpful if you went to trade or sell them, but I would agree that team would be meaningless to me for the most part if i were keeping the cards. Although it is neat to find those late (or early) career appearances from players on a team that were not well known with. Killebrew as a Royal, for example.

 

[banjar]

That's a pretty comprehensive list of descriptors for your cards. There's only one descriptor I use that's not included in your list - card type. I have a column in my spreadsheet which says whether the card is Base, Insert, Parallel, Autograph, Promo, Minor League, etc, or a combination of several types (for example and Insert Autograph).

 

[smapdi]

When I design a database intended for an unknown future, I include extra fields just in case so you don't have to modify the structure later. And I'm big on details for individual cards, so I'd add more fields for variations that might not be predictable or standardizable to account for things to come and also things that you might want to slice and dice your data for on the display side. You have set and subset, but to identify all refractors versus a particular color refractor you may need more detail. You can go pretty deep but getting all elements of a card documented can be detailed. A 2019 Topps Chrome Sapphire Orange Autograph #CSA-KT Kyle Tucker #14/25 photo variant BGS 9.5 is at least 14 points of data just naming the card. But once all that is entered you can have a site where you click a button and say "Show me all patch cards" or "all cards serial-numbered 50 or less" or "show me all orange cards" and so on.

Other fields might be things like "rookie card" or "logo rookie card," something about size (non-standard 2.5x3.5, extra thick, die-cut, foldout, booklet, etc.), and date acquired. Also, game-used can be a bool, but add a field for the type of material included. If you want to see all bat cards versus jerseys, or jerseys versus patches, etc. Also autograph vs non, is there an inscription or something else noteworthy about it. There was a collector I think on this board that collects autos with bible verses, for instance. And if you get into details on grading, a BGS grade with the 4-5 subgrades might be worth having. Other random fields could be serial numbers matching a jersey number, first or last ordinal, or other significant number (e.g. 2131/XXXX for Cal Ripken). I'd mark 1/1s as a separate field, too, but that can be done easily enough by serial number. But numbering is also tricky on some sets like Topps Moments and Milestones. There you have the set number, the "achievement" number (22 doubles, 33 homers, etc.), and serial number, plus color variation. Super annoying set where there can be over 100 variations of any one card.