This is more of a whimsical idea that just popped into my head rather than a specific suggestion.

Many are familiar with the PCGS and NGC Registry Sets. I have always thought that if somebody ever made up a registry system of some kind that would allow all coins...raw or slabbed by any service, sets from any country, etc to be in some kind of registry system, it would have a chance of being quite a hit.

I don't know how such a system could be implemented. I think the 'based solely on grade' paradigm is rather limited even for slabbed coins and certainly not easily accomplished with raw coins. But, something like a user voting system (PCI-ish) might be feasible. Then again maybe not.


It seems to me that OmniCoin is already (at least) half way there to being a registry since it allows users to post their collections, etc. Getting the other half might be near impossible but it might be interesting to see.

I would certainly welcome a raw coin registry set!

Me too.

OmniCoin already has the ability to list coins into user collections, enter in all sorts of information about them, upload photos, etc. It already is superior to the registry set ups already out there in those ways, IMHO.

The only things left that I can see right of the bat would be the creation of Set Categories (maybe the standard ones and then user defineable to a point?) and a way of rating the collections (voting or whatever?).

Now granted those 'leftover things' might be quite difficult to implement!

I think it's a great idea. It's a matter of grouping coins or medals according to a theme. And then associating the "votes" to those groups. Of course as I said to akdrv it's easy for me to suggest, much tougher usually for a programmer to implement...

In PCGS and NGC registry sets there is a predefined number of coins in each set and a score is calculated based on completeness and grades.

I like the idea of user defined sets very much. Members create sets associated with a specific country, other users can use an exisitng set or create their own. This will work well for various countries and periods.

Ratings could be based on votes or page views. Voting syustem would have to assume that new sets get reviewed by the same audience as the old ones, while membership grows. What if the ratings were based on completeness only, since there are no grades, or complteness and page views?

Even divorced from a rating system of any kind, this would be pretty awesome! I would very much like the ability to have a Dansco US Type Set collection (to take one that I know a number of people here are working on) and be able to list all of my coins that are in my set and see what coins make up other people's sets. Same with creating my own 1966 Birth Year set or a stock set of Canadian Cents, etc.




The rating system or how to rank them would be the main problem to work out in a Registry System. None of the existing ways that the TPGs do it are very good in themselves.

I think completeness should certainly figure into a rating of a set. It could be a starting point if nothing else until some flash of inspiration comes about as to what other factors to consider (page views, votes, etc). Truthfully, to my collector gene, completeness could end up as the be all and end all of any rating now that I really think about it.

I am not familiar with what registry sets are all about. But it sounds interesting. Perhaps I need to learn more about these registry sets? Where?

I should have posted a link in my initial post.

http://www.pcgs.com/new_set_registry/index.chtml

and

http://www.collectors-society.com/registry/coins/

It is basically a listing of individuals sets ranked according to completeness and grade. Only slabbed coins can be entered into it. In the PCGS one, only PCGS coins and in the NGC one, either PCGS or NGC coins.

In my opinion, it is a great way to show off your coins and sets. As you can see, though, OmniCoin is already way ahead in actual display of the coins and entering information (IMHO).

The ranking system of a Registry is also neat in a PCI kind of way but doing it by grade and only allowing certain slabbed coins is somewhat limited.

IMHO, current registry sets are composed of 1) money and 2) ego.
Collectors without the requisite funds are at an extreme disadvantage in the registry set "game" proliferated by the TPG's, so the "average" collector never has a real shot at scoring high in these registries.

Cool idea, Stu ... but consider:

1. If the scores are not based on grades, how will two complete sets be rated?

2. If grades are included, who's opinions will be considered with raw coins?

3. If slabbed coins are included, how will the different TPG's grades be considered (we are all familiar with a particular TPG that slabs a TON of Pf-70's and MS-70's)

4. Some of the most striking coins in certain collections are called "overrated" by a few possible "voters" here, and those coins will be punished because of personal bias rather than competing equally based on a defined numerical rating system.

I just think it will be a big can of worms.

You definitely bring up some good points about ratings. There may not be a way to do that which would be fair or accepted. Maybe there is none as the way the TPGs do it leaves a lot to be desired too.

The Registy's main appeal to me has always been the ability to show off sets and see other people's sets. Because of that, I do think that the set idea itself would be way cool addition to OmniCoin and present few problems. Well, outside of the problems and work Anton might have creating it.

So, my revised suggestion would be the following:

1. Add the ability to have both Standard Sets and User Created Sets in OmniCoin
(I create a Dansco US Type Set)

2. Allow users to put their coins into these sets.
(I upload each of the coins in my Dansco US Type Set and flag them as belonging to a Dansco US Type Set)

3. Have the ability to display each of my sets under my OmniCoin main page
(When I go to my OmniCoin main page, it lists all of the different sets I have coins in and when I click on a set, it shows me all my coins in that set)

3. Have the ability to display the users who have coins each of these sets.
(I click on Dansco US Type Set and it shows my set, Tiff's set, Art's set, etc in a listing and I can click on each of their sets to see their coins in their set)

4. Have the ability to sort the sets by user, completeness, etc.
(I choose Completeness and it sorts all teh sets by the percent complete)

Hope I explained that well enough.

I like the revised suggestion. I'll do it.

Is "Dansco Type Set" a proprietary name? Where do I get a list of types to be included in a set? Stu, would you be willing to create and maintain standard US sets? I have no idea how big of a task it is...

I'd love to see such a thing Auldfartte not because i want to show off "look at my MS66 ain't i good?" but rathermore it might actually help me see where i'm going on a set (and i might actually finish one!).

I like the idea of being able to see how many coins are required and filling the gaps on a set database. If i'm left to my own devices i keep changing the goal posts. Which drives me insane.

It'd be nice to say have a George V London mint half sovereign set 1911-15 and just be able to fill it. (That's one i tried in the past!)

Dansco might be a proprietory name but a set could be made up without that name that included the exact same coins as found in the album.

I would also be willing to create and maintain the US sets. Other than it will take some time to enter them, I have a Redbook and access to examples that are already in other Registys so it should not be dificult in gaining access to the needed data. I wouldn't expect Bust Half Dollars by Overton Type out of me right away but I certainly have enough knowledge to do all the basic US sets.

I agree.

As collectors, we tend to organize our coins into collections to display. The only thing OmniCOin is missing right now is the ability to categorize your online coins into these kinds of sets. It does everything else perfectly: display photos, information, etc and sharing it all with others.

I can't think of a single other web application that allows the average guy collecting raw coins, world coins, etc to do what the TPG registries do...display their coin collections as sets. It might be because it is a pretty big up front undertaking to get tthe data and add everything in. But, OmniCoin has an army of CoinPeeps to assist.

I also agree that it would be a good way to track and keep on track. If I could display what I am missing along with what I need, I could pretty much do away with my spreadsheets.

Totally agree.

There is already the Celtic Coin Index (http://units.ox.ac.uk/departments/archaeology/ccindex/ccindex.htm) for those interested. I think any other attempt must be "departmentalised" like this, or things would get out of hand!

Amend my last! The Celtic Coin Index site is http://web.arch.ox.ac.uk/coins/ccindex.htm
Not all coins are visible but additions can be made by contacting them.

That appears to be more of a reference guide than what I am talking about. I am talking about actual coin collectors displaying their actual coins in their sets that make up their collections.

I couldn't agree more, Ætheling
As long as "ratings" don't enter the picture ( I detest the guys who constantly brag about being number ONE !!!) I would certainly join in the fun. Besides, I love drooling over the coins already displayed on OmniCoin

Here is a web page created from my Spread Sheet listing the coins for an 'Album Based US Type Set'

http://www.stujoe.com/type.htm

That is one US type set that I could see being created. There could also be a 20th Century. A complete set from 18th century on. Ones with gold and ones without. Etc.

As you can see, it will be a big project to enter it all in (and that is just the US side) but I think it is doable over time if the interface to create the set templates is easy to use. It would be nice to be able to use a set as a template for another set. IE, I enter in the 100% complete US type set with gold and then I can choose subsets of that to make the new sets (without gold, Album set, etc). Ot I enter in every Lincoln cent by date and mint mark and then make a Complete Lincoln set, a Wheat Cent Set, A Memorial Cent set, One with proofs, one without, etc. No idea how doable that is from an interface standpoint!

Creation of sets could be prioritized based upon actual user interest too. No need in creating a Seated Half Dime set first off if there is no one that collects them. It could be saved for later on.

Not sure how or who would be able to do the World stuff....

IsMyCoinHotOrNot.com

RateMyCoins.com

Real-Or-Fake-Coins.com

Upon reflection I would have to agree that a registry system that simply perpetuated the "I've got the best coins ever" mentality is something to be avoided. It's inevitable that people will rank their collections against others that they see; it's not necessary to create a PRI (Popular Registry Index) to start us down the TPG slope.

I for one am interested to see what people are collecting, and how they themselves will organize those collections. As an alternative (or in addition) to a template perhaps the ability to name a set and tag coins in your collection as part of that named set. Here's my reasoning; the easiest coins to turn into a template in the Napoleonic era are those that have a distinct country, time and place associated with them. An example would be the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy. It existed from 1806 to 1814 and covered territory we can easily nail down. Less easy is the work of the collector of coins from Hannover from the same period. Hannover was assimilated into the Kingdom of Westphalia while parts of it were dispersed to other countries. Westphalia consisted of not only Hannover but 3-4 more duchies, principalities and Imperial cities that had issued coins during the 8 years in question. So you see a collector of "Westphalian" coins may wish to include many other issuers in their "set".

If a list of named sets was available and fully described everyone interested could use a predefined name in the same way as a template. The advantage of a template that I see is that it provides a way to indicate those coins which are currently "missing" from your collection, something that a named set with its more amorphous meaning does not.

In any case I'm willing to help set up templates or named sets for the European period of 1789-1815. Great ideas have been coming out of this group

Agreed!

I think I have a good understanding of what needs to be done. I'll have something for you guys to look at in a couple of weeks.

Once i know what it looks like and how it works, i might be able to lend a hand by writing a list of some British stuff.

I think it's a neat idea. When I'm done with my type set here in the next month or two, I won't have to post all the pics in a thread. I'd also be willing to hash out any set areas.

Stu, as usual, very interesting read, good idea too! thx

I just wanted to give you guys an update. I'm working on Registry/Coin Sets. I plan to have it ready some time in December. Stay tuned.

Whoa! Cool!