How to organize a hoard

[Roller]

Been collecting since '09 and have amassed thousands of minor RPMs, DDOs, DDRs, errors etc. Also have kept better wheats and BU Memorials and boxes of OBW rolls since 2011. I have literally more thousands of the better finds in flips and BUs in cellos as well as wheats and memorials in tubes. They're in various boxes and containers all over my "office". All in all I must have some $2,000+ in face value laying around and I haven not been able to come up with a system to organize other than the flips that represent a minor portion of the whole. What do you do to keep track of things so you can reach for it and find it when you want to keeping in mind that I'm getting too old to heft large quantities of coins? Have not been searching lately and have the time but not the method. Opinions solicited and appreciated.

[kloccwork419]

I put most things in tubes labeled, then eventually attribute them to 2x2s. Many binders with 2x2 or flips in pages. I put the better varieties in the 2x2 boxes
Minor RPMs I just keep in tubes and then sell the whole tube. I mostly keep better varieties or TOP 100 RPMs. Have a lot of tube boxes and 2x2 boxes to organize. All of them are in 1 of 2 cabinets next to my desk, at arms reach, with 5 drawers. Other than that, a messy desk and camera setup..lol

[eaxtellcoin]

Hey Roller,
My attribution collection is either in mylar flips with the variety it is. In a sheet fitting a three ring binder - in the safe - or the better earlier stuff is in slabs.

Most of the spares I own are either in 1 1/2 X 1 1/2's or in tubes that are marked - if I found them years ago and I have duplicates.

Looks like mine is alot like Jason's set up.
Eric

[Petespockets55]

I like Kloccwork Jason's idea of the cabinets with trays for the more special coins and varieties.

I've shared this image before of an old library card catalog.
AntiqueVintageOakLibraryCardCatalogFileCabinet72Drawer.jpg

72 drawers and I think each one is 5-6" tall. You'll have lots of competition though since crafters and seamstresses like them as well.

I got lucky myself with an old 1960 era card size cabinet. 30" deep and the top 4 drawers are 6" tall with rugged guides. Bottom two drawers are normal file folder size. Each drawer holds lots of rolls and weight.
6DrawerBy30InDeepFileCabinet.jpg

I picked up some single metal file drawers that proof and mint sets fit in nicely.
9By7SingleFileDrawer.JPG

[kloccwork419]

That card catalog is very impressive, and expensive. I tried to get some out of a school getting torn down and was too late. They demolished everything. Smh

[makecents]

If you have any Goodwill's nearby, always a great place to run across older, well built cabinets that may be similar to what Cliff showed and at a reasonable price. I'm lucky and have nine locations within a 20 mile radius of me.

[willbrooks]

I like Kloccwork Jason's idea of the cabinets with trays for the more special coins and varieties.

I've shared this image before of an old library card catalog.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]153688[/ATTACH]

72 drawers and I think each one is 5-6" tall. You'll have lots of competition though since crafters and seamstresses like them as well.

I got lucky myself with an old 1960 era card size cabinet. 30" deep and the top 4 drawers are 6" tall with rugged guides. Bottom two drawers are normal file folder size. Each drawer holds lots of rolls and weight.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]153689[/ATTACH]

I picked up some single metal file drawers that proof and mint sets fit in nicely.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]153690[/ATTACH]

Oh, man. When we were house shopping last year, there was this house we really loved AND it had one of those card catalogs in the basement! I wanted it so bad. We bid full asking price and still didn't get it.

[Roller]

I have a lot of the saved varieties etc. in these rice containers separated and labeled but I doubt that I will ever see them (individually) again. So I'm questioning myself: why keep them? If I croak they'll be at the bank returned to circulation unless one of my grandchildren gets the fever (and my children decide to store them 'till then).

[kloccwork419]

Just go through a few at a time and attribute them. Or separate what type of variety at least and then attribute them, eventually. Mine are separated in tubes and then I attribute them every so often and put them in 2x2s. I like using single row boxes.

[Roller]

Just go through a few at a time and attribute them. Or separate what type of variety at least and then attribute them, eventually. Mine are separated in tubes and then I attribute them every so often and put them in 2x2s. I like using single row boxes.

They are separated by varieties. To make sense of them I would think you need to separate also by year and MM. That will require some work and then another storage issue. How much of this stuff do you all hoard? Do you keep all varieties that you find (as I did)?

[kloccwork419]

I sell most of them. Minor varieties I don't care much about. I have many BU rolls with minor RPMs in them, searched and put back in a tube. Split serifs dont get me excited..lol Some times I don't keep them at all

[Petespockets55]

That card catalog is very impressive, and expensive. I tried to get some out of a school getting torn down and was too late. They demolished everything. Smh

That's really a shame since they can sell for upwards of $1000.00 at auction.

I have a lot of the saved varieties etc. in these rice containers separated and labeled but I doubt that I will ever see them (individually) again. So I'm questioning myself: why keep them? If I croak they'll be at the bank returned to circulation unless one of my grandchildren gets the fever (and my children decide to store them 'till then).

Why not sell the unattributed varieties by the roll? Beginners and others looking to hone their skills or tired of cruddy, already searched rolls might enjoy searching through rolls where they know they will find varieties. I would think you could get a decent price for them.

[Roller]

That's really a shame since they can sell for upwards of $1000.00 at auction.



Why not sell the unattributed varieties by the roll? Beginners and others looking to hone their skills or tired of cruddy, already searched rolls might enjoy searching through rolls where they know they will find varieties. I would think you could get a decent price for them.

I think selling on the bay (unless slabbed or individual coins) is a disaster waiting to happen. You likely will get all kinds of arguments; buyers picking out what they want and sending the rest, with replacements back to you; etc., etc.

[willbrooks]

I think selling on the bay (unless slabbed or individual coins) is a disaster waiting to happen. You likely will get all kinds of arguments; buyers picking out what they want and sending the rest, with replacements back to you; etc., etc.

Well, then. I suggest you just make arrangements and off yourself before the recipients sell them all to a dealer for 1 cent per piece.

[Roller]

Well, then. I suggest you just make arrangements and off yourself before the recipients sell them all to a dealer for 1 cent per piece.

Why hurry the inevitable?