The Excel Spreadsheet Project

Would anyone be interested in collaborating on a spreadsheet that we would give away for free that could have some basic values that can be used to import into a program of your choice, or add to and use personally.

I figure the spreadsheet should contain some basic info, scott number, name, description, color, maybe a URL to the image.

Then people could download this free spreadsheet (or csv file) and use it as a basis for making either their own spreadsheet, or to import data into some type of database program.

I figure one guy couldn't do it, but if 20-30 people volunteered and took a block of years, it becomes do-able, and would be something useful.

The concept is really great and I am willing to help EXCEPT for including the Scott's numbers which is illegal.

So, then do we come up with a new numbering scheme? There needs to be some kind of reference number for each stamp.

Wikibooks has a worldwide stamp calalog here: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/World_Stamp_Catalogue

They define a numbering system that can be used here: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/World_...ering_System

Hi apasuszak,
Great under taking.
I can participate except copyrighted or proprietary
info.

Numbering system..

First tree Digits alphanumeric using ISO country Abbreviations Alpha3,
second you can plan 4 digits or 3 digits for year of Issue.
if three digit used than for you have to come up single
digit for Century e.g. A = 18 B= 19
though 4 digits would be easier to remember year of issue.
both are separated Like USA-1921

Now stamp types e.g. Regular/Definitive ,Commemorative , BOB
depend how many primary stamp Type we define.
Usage Type stamps will go into BOB.
waiting for further input and information. here information
exchange would be helpful.

If Using spreadsheet than a blank Column can create that numbering
depending how columns are created in spreadsheet. Using VBA function and
procedure.

Why?

Year / currency value / theme
is all that should be required,
most responsible issuing countries have about 50-200
stamps issued per year
ID cannot be too difficult
each collector could add his/her own catalogue number
whatever they employ.

My hope was to not have to enter a catalog number for every last stamp. I wanted to be able to import the catalog numbers with the stamps. Since catalog numbers are the strictly guarded property of Scott (they would not even let me use them in my free Ukrainian stamp album), I'd like to replace them with something else that's useful. If we have a catalog number we make up, people can choose to just not import that column. But those that want a unique identifying number would get something out of the deal.

Heck If we know the issue order we can just add a field for issue and go up sequentially from one. So, you have year 1968, stamp 1.

Issue number would be easy only if you knew month and day.
some old stamp would mostly you would get year. But date of issue may not be known.
if month and day known you can serialize. other wise have to
use digits which like 99999 which indicating Date,month not known.
from row count than last know issue of that year you can add through.
function. Adding manually would crate problem of updating headache.

Actually as rod22 said year-denom and theme you can make
key value. unique for that issue and use for ref.
specially for spreadsheet.

Ok, how about a google doc I share out? Let's get a list of fields together.

So, here's an idea. Scott numbers are pretty sequential. So, if we put the stamps in catalog order on the spreadsheet, people could put 1 in the first cell, then do a1+1 in the next cell, and then drag that down the whole spreadsheet and I would think you could get valid Scott numbers for 80-90% of stamps without actually providing those numbers.

Ok, anyone that wants to contribute, the spreadsheet is up. Feel free to add columns as you like.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...1MnI2bWFwb3c

Sorry, too involved for me.
Constructive criticism:
I think you are just re inventing the wheel,
stamp catalogues provide the same thing.
I had envisaged just 1 column / field.

Good luck with your enterprise.

Catalogs do provide the same thing. I am trying to provide a source csv file someone can import into a database program to keep people from having to manually enter a ton a information about stamps.

Raises questions..
Is this Inventory or Catalog spreadsheet ?
Is it only for Country Specific only for USA ?
As Collection of Individual Collector is going to be
Limited to very wide range.

I'm just doing US. If someone would like to start other countries, they are free to do so.