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GUIDE Collection excel spread sheet and personal backer cards

Ive seen several here that uses excel spread sheets to keep track of their collections. Now that pinpics is so up and down Im thinking of starting one my self. Its such a huge job though. I wonder if any of you have any good tips? Or maybe even an excel template that I could use as a start?

Im also looking to make personalized backer cards for my traders that dont have cards. Ive seen lots of them in folders at pin trading events. They have info about the pin on them. Like a titel, LE number and stuff like that. Does anyone of you use that? I want to see a picture or tips of what to put on them. And measurments. Or maybe even a template as well. I can easily make them in InDesign and print them at work but I need a picture or template to start with. I just dont remember what info they usually have. And measurments so they can fit into plastic pockets in my pin books.

If anyone wants I can share the ones I make when Im done. I couls share an indd file or a pdf that everyone can use to print their own. But need some help to get started :)
 
Ive seen several here that uses excel spread sheets to keep track of their collections. Now that pinpics is so up and down Im thinking of starting one my self. Its such a huge job though. I wonder if any of you have any good tips? Or maybe even an excel template that I could use as a start?

Im also looking to make personalized backer cards for my traders that dont have cards. Ive seen lots of them in folders at pin trading events. They have info about the pin on them. Like a titel, LE number and stuff like that. Does anyone of you use that? I want to see a picture or tips of what to put on them. And measurments. Or maybe even a template as well. I can easily make them in InDesign and print them at work but I need a picture or template to start with. I just dont remember what info they usually have. And measurments so they can fit into plastic pockets in my pin books.

If anyone wants I can share the ones I make when Im done. I couls share an indd file or a pdf that everyone can use to print their own. But need some help to get started :)
I like using themed playing cards as backers, just the right size for the majority to fit into binders. Another concept I like was Scoop’s first batch of personalized backer cards: they had nice descriptive slots on the back for LE, AP, location, etc. The newer ones look nicer on the front but it’s missing that back info though you could mark with a metallic pen any descriptions...
 
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This is just a first sketch. But do you think something like this will work? Value and wants trads will change but I could always fill those in right before a pin trading meet for example and then erase them maybe.

Did I forget something important or is there something that shouldnt be there in your opinion?

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I was thinking in the top you could write the "name" of the pin and in the notes area you could put AP or info about whatever. Maybe what series its part of, if it were some special event or something that is important for that pin.

Also not sure if I should include the pinpics number and w/t. I think that would be mostly for me becasue that is still where I keep track off all my pins.

There might be hard to fit stuff in the small spaces but the card also needs space for the pin LOL. I guess I could also make this the back side of the card. So you have to turn the page to see all the info? That way I could make some more space for some of the text boxes?

What do you think?
 
I'm in the process of setting up a similar spreadsheet and I asked myself the same questions. My proverbial $.02, for what they're worth:

1. In addition to the Pin Pics numbers, I also would include the PTDB numbers. Yes, looking up two sets of numbers will be a pain, but Pin Pics no longer is the comprehensive database it once was and PTDB is too new to be complete. Some of the new(er) pins might not not be in Pin Pics and some of the old(er) pins might not be in PTDB. Some pin collectors might only use either Pin Pics OR PTDB; either way, you'll have the reference numbers available.

2. I wouldn't bother with Want : Trade ratios, for the simple reason that those can fluctuate as often as hourly, daily, weekly, etc. Once you have someone who is interested in a particular pin, you can look up the pin by its Pin Pics/PTDB number and get the 'most current' ratio to factor into your trade/sale negotiation. Furthermore, they should be taken with a barrel of salt as it's VERY easy to artificially inflate or deflate a pin's perceived desirability, simply by adding or removing it from a person's wants list, regardless of whether said pin actually is wanted.

3. The same thing applies for Value. I don't think I need to tell you that a pin is only worth what a person is willing to give up, whether in trade or monies, and varies greatly as characters and themes shift in popularity. Instead, I would list what you have invested in the pin (how much it cost you, whether in actual cost or trade value, to acquire it), since that won't change. Once you know that, it'll be easier to determine for what you'd be willing to give the pin up, whether in trade or sale.

4. I absolutely agree with your other decisions and plan to include them on my own spreadsheet: Origin, Year Released, Edition Size (LE, LR, OE), and Notes (Artist Proof, signed pin, not on card, etc).
 
I've started getting my wants into a spreadsheet in case PP goes bye-bye. Or is down when I am trying to do a trade, etc. I wasn't planning to do my traders since I have those in front of me to look at details like LE and such and I feel I generally know their popularity, etc. (There are far fewer than my wants.) And I never tracked what I own. Although I might consider doing that someday.

FWIW, here is what I have in my spreadsheet:

1. Picture of the pin.
2. PinPics # (Good point about PTDB. I might add that.)
3. Name. This is generally it's name from PP but I adjust it a bit sometimes for clarification.
4. Origin. DLR, WDW, Disney Auctions, Event, etc.
5. Category. This is a high level classification and basically how I think of/group my pins. It's the response to "What do you collect?" For me, categories include Villains, Parks, NBC, AiW, etc.
6. Sub Category. Little finer tuning. So Maleficent is a sub category. Haunted Mansion is a sub category. Etc.
7. Series. I like completing series so this is an important one for me. Things like Dark Tales, Cuckoo Clocks, etc. I also have an indicator if something is the last one I need in a series.
8. LE. A # or LR or OE
9. Wants. I realize it changes and can be ancient data, but I still feel it's a good indicator of how valued a pin is and how hard it is to get, especially combined with....
10. Trades. See above.

I treat hidden mickeys a little differently as there are a ton of them i collect and i view them all largely the same other than their age. (And I pretty much know what is old and hard to get and what isn't). So they only get:

1. Picture.
2. PinPis #.
3. Name.
4. Origin. Pretty much DLR or WDW.
5. Series. With the "last I need" indicator.
 
On the value- I typically ‘color code’ my traders so the spouse knows approx value to aim for when making trades (he’s traded a lot of higher value for lower over the years..) we have ‘white’ for ‘whatever/less than $5’ then ‘green’ for ‘basic/5-10’ ‘yellow’ for ‘basic plus/10-20’ ‘orange’ for ‘low end/‘30-40’ ‘red’ for ‘mid range/50-75’ and ‘black’ for ‘high end/75+’

its been very handy over the 10+ years we’ve used it and pins have flexed in and out of categories as assigning specific values will backfire every time-
 
Thank you so much for all your tips and ideas!

@coblj003 Love the tip about playing cards. I think I have a few Disney playing cards laying around. Might use them if I dont make my own in the end.

@dancecats Thanks for all your input. Made me think one time more about the backer cards. Have decided to make the backer cards only for my own use for trade meets for example. I will keep info about the pin on the backside of the card just for me. I get a bit stressed out when there are so many people and I dont always get the time to look up pins before I make big trades and I have been making some bad trades in the past because of just that. So I will make the backer cards for better traders so that I can keep a track on them. Perfect to save the emty cards after a trade as well so that I know what pins to take off my traders list.

@Ajk Thank you so much for all the tips about categories. I already implememented a few of them in mine!

@-em I really love the tip about colors as value! Of course value changes from day to day but I can sit down and look up my more important traders before a trade meet. And to make them only with a color makes so much sence. They can have a bigger span and have a meaning only for me. Also great if my kids join me they can learn what colors are ok to trade away to not risk making an uneven trade. LOVE IT!

Lastly I learned that it is perfect to use Google sheets for this! I have always hated how it seems impossible to insert a picture in an excel cell. In google sheets it was easy! A few extra clicks but it makes the job so will be worth it in the end.

Now begins the job of creating the sheet and backer cards. Have between 1600-1700 pins in my collections and about 700 traders. Will take a while to get them all in the document. But will be great in the end. The thing I long most for will be to be able to organize the pins easy. Like if I put in categories and character I can easily sort the document to show all the Minnie pins together and then right after maybe I want to see what Paris pins I have so then I can just as easily sort them on origin and then back to maybe age of the pins. I really miss that function at pinpics. It used to work to at least searche for just all Minnie pins I have in my collection but now it doesnt anymore.

Also will be great that I can start to keep track of my pins that are not on pinpics. I have had problems with that always since I have quite a few older European pins they are not always on there. Now I will be able to make my own entries to keep track of them as well!

The last thing to do is to make a Want sheet. That one will be harder, but it will be useful. Will start with grails and most wanted at least. And the best thing about that is that I can make separate sheets for different characters or themes. And that my kids can have their own wanted lists!

But yeah I have a HUGE job to do until I have it like I want :D Im excited! And again thanks for all your great input!
 
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