How Do You Catalog Your Stamps

I try to find time in between activities and such... so I'll watch hockey and work on it on my laptop in between periods, or during my lunch etc... even 20 minutes I can file away a bunch of stamps.

Andy: Thanks for name-dropping Datacrow!

That looks like what I've been looking for for a couple of different needs. (I went trawling the web a couple of years ago and never came up with a anything I liked.) It'll be a while before I can really test it out for what I'm thinking about, but looking forward to doing that as time permits.

Many thanks!

-- Dave

I don't keep a database of my collection currently, but I do plan on cataloguing it in a spreadsheet sooner or later. I have no intention of selling my collection while I'm still alive, so it's mostly for the benefit of my heirs should I die unexpectedly. In terms of resale value, I understand fully that (for most stamps) you can take the full catalog value and move the decimal over a couple places, but I don't want some dealer to move it over 3 or 4 places. Even at a small fraction of Scott, there's still some significant value there and I'd hate to see them get taken.

I catalog to know what I have so if I go to a stamp show or something, I don't buy something I already have. In the distant past, I used one of those little orange Scott check-off books (do they still make those?), but for my U.S. stamps, I carry a little pocket Blackbook Price Guide to United States Postage Stamps. Since I don't collect new stamps, I don't need to change it out often and it provides checkboxes for stamps. You can carry it in your pocket and see what you need and check off what you buy. I have to do that because I've come home from a bourse with 3 copies of the same stamp because I forgot I bought it already.

For foreign stamps and topicals, it's easier to just carry a list of what I have because there are far more that I need than what I have.

I've looked for digital solutions and haven't come up with any that I really like. Most of them track far more than I care about, I'd rather just have a simple checklist. I considered, at one time, scanning my entire collection and putting it online so I could access it through my phone or tablet, but every time you fill a hole, you have to scan the page again, that seems woefully inefficient.

apastuszak, the only problem I had with Datacrow is that I could never find a database for the stamps I collect and the thought of having to manually type in thousands upon thousands of stamps... I just never have time. For other collections, especially the ones that they have built in, it might be fine, although I use Collectorz software for my movies, books, etc. collections, but if you have to make your own, that's far too time consuming, even if the software is free.

I am old fashioned.

In 1982 I started itemizing my main US-WW collections in Scott catalogs by circling the mint or used price by each stamp I had. I also recorded notes such and price paid and date acquired if known. I don't go after much after the mid 80's so this system still serves me well to this day. It is very simple to see what stamps I need to complete a set by easily flipping to the appropriate page. The relative value is there too.

I have a 2-proned method for my US/WW collection. My primary is the standard excel spreadsheet, cat.# description, m/u, cat value, plate/strip/sheet, fdc, doi, notes. For my US, when I go to a stamp show I have an old 1994 20th edition of the USPS Guide which has been marked to show what I have. This serves me well as I go to shows to fill holes pre-1990. If I need something post 1990 I make a list. On the spread sheet I have period tabs (1800's, 1900's, 1950, etc.). I am constantly updating the inventory, (but not the values). It works and helps my computer skills. If I need further information I go to one of the many bookmarked sites and do some research.

Maybe a good idea to catalog our stamps with imiages - may it easier our our heirs to sell on ebay if they no longer want to continue the collection.