Rookie is looking for advice (1 Viewer)

[vitaly91]

Hello to all.

I am pretty new to collecting military miniatures so I am looking for advice from folks here that I know have been collecting for decades!

My question is: how do you track what you have in your collections and what you'd lie to get for your collections?

I collect Roman miniatures.. However, there are so many manufacturers and options and variety of miniatures, it is very hard to keep track of it all.
Is there some software that most people use? Do you just keep a spreadsheet?
I am looking for any and all pointers and suggestions!

Thank you in advance for your thoughts!

Vitaly91,
Rookie Collector

 

[DMNamiot]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

There are a lot of ways to keep track of your collection, I use excel which is labor intensive but once it is started it is fairly easy to keep track of your collection. One of my good friends here develops a want list each year before going to the Chicago Show so he can keep his spending straight and to try and stick to his priority list. I use this method as well but I also see it a guideline and not carved in stone in case I see something that I have to have...:salute::

I also dont limit myself to a specific maker. I collect several lines from several makers, for instance, I collect W Britains War Along the Nile Range, Crimean War Glossies, Wrath of the Northmen Line. From several other makers such as Marlborough, and Beau Geste I collect the Delhi Durbar. I have others but you get the point. I also keep all the catalogues I can find for my favorite makers so I can keep track of sets I might need due to what ever reason I didnt get them when they first came around.

Also remember its a long term hobby and can give you a lot of joy, I have sets of figures that I collected as a teen in the 70s so for me its been a lot of fun.

Enjoy

Dave

 

[ivanmoe]

Hello to all.

I am pretty new to collecting military miniatures so I am looking for advice from folks here that I know have been collecting for decades!

My question is: how do you track what you have in your collections and what you'd lie to get for your collections?

I collect Roman miniatures.. However, there are so many manufacturers and options and variety of miniatures, it is very hard to keep track of it all.
Is there some software that most people use? Do you just keep a spreadsheet?
I am looking for any and all pointers and suggestions!

Thank you in advance for your thoughts!

Vitaly91,
Rookie Collector

Hi Vitaly,

I keep a spreadsheet to track my collection and spending, but I suspect that a lot of collectors don't bother. For some fellas, the record keeping and all might take some of the joy out of the exercise. As to what's to be had, you're lucky if you're a 60mm matte-collector. I suggest that because serious matte collecting is relatively new, and you can put together a fairly serious brood without having to shop the aftermarket. Simply visit a dealer or website and search for Romans. Some nice sets will almost certainly be listed. Hope that works for you, as that's about all there is to it!

-Moe

 

[lancer]

I also keep records, both of what I have and what I have spent. My method is a simple, low tech (read old school dinosaur, here), hand-written note book. It consists of a simple, separate page (or pages) for each manufacturer with a list of each figure under the correct heading. The list has the correct figure manufacturer number, the retail value, and what I paid for it. Under each manufacturer, the figures are grouped according to category. Just basic stuff. One thing, keeping track of what is spent can get scary.:wink2: -- Al

 

[zblang]

I keep a spread sheet with separate tabs for each manufacturer. Also on the spread sheet is the location of the empty boxes should I ever need to find them.

 

[gk5717]

If you collect K&C I buy those small stick on tabs and write the item number on it and the stick it to the underside of the base. You will never remember the number that corresponds to the box.
Gary

 

[Vicknor]

The wife keeps track of my addiction with an Excel sheet. Each manufacturer has its own tab and includes , date purchased, of course the code and full written description, payment method and a scan of the receipt as these will fade with time.

 

[vitaly91]

Thank you, all, for your input. It seems that most people use a simple spreadsheet.
I do like and appreciate the suggestion of having separate tabs for various manufacturers and lines of miniatures. Thank you.

Here's another rookie question. As I started my collection I bought a bunch of "one of" figures that I do not know for sure what set or even manufacturer they came from. These were those type of buys you make at shows or online. So there is no packaging to refer to and, at the time of purchase, I didn't think of recording manufacturer's info. I simply went with my "visual appeal impulse buy" method.

Is there an easy way to ID those so that I can accurately start my spreadsheet?

Thank you again for all your advice!

Vitaly
Rookie Collector

 

[ivanmoe]

Is there an easy way to ID those so that I can accurately start my spreadsheet?

Take a pic and start a graphics file for each Manu. Then hyperlink the pic into your SS. The separate tabs won't work for me, as I'd have 42 of them.

-Moe

 

[lancer]

Thank you, all, for your input. It seems that most people use a simple spreadsheet.
I do like and appreciate the suggestion of having separate tabs for various manufacturers and lines of miniatures. Thank you.

Here's another rookie question. As I started my collection I bought a bunch of "one of" figures that I do not know for sure what set or even manufacturer they came from. These were those type of buys you make at shows or online. So there is no packaging to refer to and, at the time of purchase, I didn't think of recording manufacturer's info. I simply went with my "visual appeal impulse buy" method.

Is there an easy way to ID those so that I can accurately start my spreadsheet?

Thank you again for all your advice!

Vitaly
Rookie Collector

If you can, post photos of the figures on this forum. With the many knowledgeable members here, from all over the world, chances are you will get an ID for your figures. -- Al

 

[bradleyl30]

I use a spreadsheet like others.

I also "watch" items on eBay and create a "wishlist " on my favorite dealer's ecommerce site to track what is next.