Ok, so I'm tired of searching through double row 2x2 boxes to find the coins I want. For those of you who do binders with 2x2 pages how do you do it? I mean by country, by year? What info do you put on your 2x2's? Can you put too much on it?

Here is the first page. My Russian 3 Rouble 50th Anniversary of WWII Set.


[attachmentid=1170][attachmentid=1171]


Comments, suggestions, criticisms?

My collection is totally different than yours, so my methods may not work for you.

To begin with, I use 1½X1½ mylar flips, 30 pockets to a page, which gives me a lot more coins per page, but doesn't work well for the larger "crown" size coins.

I use separate folders for each country, and depending on the volume of coins I have for a particular country, I use different size folders (I have a couple ½" binders for small countries like Macedonia and Bosnia, up to 3" binders for larger countries like Yugoslavia)

Since the majority of my collection are date runs of circulation coins, I have found it better to not put any information on the flips, and just let the coins speak for themselves, as I flip through 3 pages full of Canadian small cents, etc.

I use lots of 20 pocket pages and have them in several binders.

Since I only collect coins from a few countries, I have a binder for each country.

Then in a page, I have only coins from one denomination, arranged from old to new.

In case of my USA type set : 1 denomination per page, 1 type per row, the different mint marks in the columns. When less than 4 available, I fill the empty pocket with a white piece of cardboard, 2" x 2". Why? It looks nicer and it makes the empty spaces evenly thick, so the pages stack better.


Info on the 2x2 : nothing. Just as I like my coins blast white, I like the holders in the same way, no writing on them.

What could one write on it:
country / denomination : is already found on the coin
year : is already found on the coin
mintage : that's what books are for
composition: if it's gold or silver, I can see it, if it's base metal : catalog will tell me

Catalog number : this is the only thing I'm considering putting on it. But I don't want to write it on them, so I'm looking for tiny labels which I can print with my computer. Those labels should be really tiny, like 0.5 cm x 1.5 cm. And on a sheet, otherwise I can't feed them through my DeskJet 520. Haven't found them yet, though.

I have only used those for my main collections...1900-present US, Type Set and Birth Year Set. On those, I just put the date and mint mark if applicable. The rest of my 'stuff' is still in 2x2 boxes. As I have migrated most of those collections to Dansco, I may end up doing what you are doing now.

If I had neat handwriting like you, I would probably put more on the 2x2. But, with my writing, it would just look like the kids scribbled on them.

The reason I want to print mine using my 'puter

Yeah, all the US stuff will be in Danscos, so only my world stuff will go in pages like this.

That is probably what will happen with mine too. I still like the look of the 2x2's in the binders and they are much more convinient than boxes. And now that I will have extra pages and binders, I will eventually get my world stuff more organized.

If you or anyone else want a custom made excel file for this, with borders for the 2x2 safety flips pls PM me. I actually toyed around with this and made something that works.

Postcript, when looking for the file, I see that my local "organizer" and deleter of files I use and need got to it before I did

forgot to mention : black sheets of paper between the pages, for better contrast

I've given up on the pages with 2x2s. I can't keep them from bending at the bottom front corner. I don't have enough space to put the binders on their sides - plus it makes them to hard to access. I'm in the process of moving everything to storage boxes - except my stuff in albums which isn't much.

I will remember not to throw or give away the boxes.

I'm doing my world coins by:

Country
Type
Date

In that order. Keeps everything in a nice order except when you get a middle date and you have to move all those 2x2's. That's one big pain. Remember to leave a space blank for it a date you don't have. Unless you have some odd fetish with removing 2x2s.....

As for what I put on the 2x2's, unless it is completely obvious I'll add the country. But since mine are organized by country, it somewhat defeats the purpose. I keep it simple with just date and mint mark.

I'm just starting to do the same thing, from boxes to binders. I'm also going to do some weeding out . I have too much stuff.

Since I collect ancients and medieval, I take a different approach to coin storage. I don't have anywhere as many coins as you do, so I can afford a different approach.

I have always been attacted to the old style coin cabinets. I found a wood jewelry box at a local custom jewelry and craftsman store with five drawers, 2x2 opennings in each drawer, 20 cells per drawer. They are just the right size to hold 2x2 inert plastic flips. I print my labels and place them and the original tag that came with the coin (if it had one) in one sleeve and the coin in the other. I can see the top coins in each cell and remove a tray for work, study, or enjoyment. The jewelry box fits in my safe.

My aluminum collection is in 2x2 boxes, but I've ordered some Lighthouse boxes (three tray boxes) for 2x2s and plan to move the older aluminum to the Lighthouse product.

Its not as efficient as binders and I can't store as many coins, but I like the look and feel.

I designed my own Filemaker Pro database to track the collections. I can print reports so I can carry my own catalog when I go to shows, search the collection by a variety of criteria, etc. I have fields where I can keep relevant notes alongside the standard catalog information for each coin, obverse and reverse photographs, when and where I purchased each piece, cost, current value, grade, weight, and any other relevant information. I use the same database report structure to print the labels for the flips.

Maybe its a product of age, passion, or conceit, but I like to collect with style whenever I can when working with my collection. Its part of what helps me relax. Now, if I just had a library with antique desk, wood panelling, leather chair, ......... Instead i use the kitchen table after doing the dishes. When my 18 year old strikes out on her own, I might finally build that library.

Well, I have two ways that I organize my binders with 2x2s. One are coins that I specifically want all the dates and denominations to be displayed (Finland and other Scandinavian countries). The other binders I just display the best type and keep the other dates in the series in those 2x2 boxes. (This allows me to display all the types but not having to put date runs of everything in binders.) The 2x2s are labeled the same regardless of which binder they are in.

As for labeling 2x2s, I use the pattern I use for the type set binders for all. The pattern for the obverse is:
Upperleft - Country
Upperright - Denomination
Lowerleft - Year
Lowerright - (blank) If it is a precious metal than I add Au/Ag
Obverse page

For the reverse:
Top center - Description if applicable: ex FAO issue, commem, personage (think German 2 mark) etc
Upperleft - Purchase price if applicable
Upperright - any of the following if relevant: "value" (if it is worth $5+), "low" (if it has a relatively low mintage), or "key" (if it is a key date in the series)
Lowerleft - who/where I received/purchased it from
Lowerright - grade (There are only certain conditions when I will write a rough grade: if I have purchased the coin, if it is AU/UNC, or if it is such a high grade for the coin that I am most likely not to upgrade and thus not have to replace the 2x2.)
Reverse page

Hope this helps.

Good, at least I know I'm not crazy by putting all that info on.

Perhaps we could make a deal of some kind.

It's going to take me months to empty the boxes.

Ok, well I'm finally getting somewhere. I have all but one box in holders and in pages (this does not mean they are in order they are just in pages). Today I received a shipment of what I plan to store my coins in. I did not want to use regular 3 Ring binders as I figured that the pages would be so heavy they would rip out, so I went to the photography world for a solution. Today I received 3 of these...



Archival safe binder boxes. They have metal enforced corners so you can stack without worrying about collapse. I just placed a bunch of my sheets in them and I love it. There is plenty of room and the presentation is really nice. I took my crown size sheets and put the coins in landscape. I ordered these from here if any one is interested...

http://www.archivalmethods.com/Product.cfm...=8&Productid=72

They are a little expensive but I should not need more than 5 - 7 of them and I have a huge collection.

I will get pictures of the presentation later. Now I just have to finish with the rest of the coins and develop my own tab system.

The archival boxes are outstanding. I have several with 35mm slides in them and a large one for my glass negatives. They are sturdy and as you note can be stacked without damage (within reason). That's a good approach.

I'm doing my world coins in 2x2s in boxes. Alpha by country. Then by year and then denomination with year. I only put the Country, date, denomination, Krause # on the 2x2s. I have a bunch that also have the metal designation.

It's fun.

I use a different approach. I produce, in Word, an A5 catalogue that contains all the information I can gather, along with a picture, of each coin.(all in type/date order). I collect hammered, Roman, Byzantine, and Modern milled, so The booklet is those sections.
I then hold each type in wallets of 2x2's in the same order. Finding any coin is very quick, as is placing new coins. The 2x2's have, typed in size 8 font, All the details as to reign, date, type, and other info I deem necessary at the time.
By saving the catalogue pages seperately, I can add and subtract without too much mayhem!
A strange arrangement but all mine own.
I'll just add that the wallets I use hold 60 2x2's so the organisation by type is easy and allows me to leave empty slots for future purchases.
My minor milled British are kept in an aluminium case with custom made trays. I found this in a Lidl supermarket!!

Nice approach Geordie. It seems there are as many forms of organizing and keeping data as there are forms of collections. That's one of the great things about this hobby. You can make it what suits you.

I think I'm finished. I found a fantastic case in which I am putting my Canadian and US coins, US extras and stuff that doesn't go in Danscos anyway...



What I like about it is it has dual 3 Ring binders, with a velcro divider on each side so you can secure the pages down, it also has a nice handle on the outside which is good since with the coins in it it weighs 12 pounds on the nose. Also a removeable shoulder strap which I will not use unless I need to move my collection somewhere.

Organize?

What a concept!!

Actually, most of the stuff i have is from 'junk boxes' so I have 'mostly' continued to store them that way. I have a two gallon bucket that is full. I guess I'm rather like the old miser or pirate who likes to occasionally dump'em out on a big table and run them through my fingers. Most of these 'junk box finds' are in lower grades and of low value, so I am not degrading them too much...

I like to joke that I can make "a" phone call in any of over 100 countries... at least until those various countries either de-monitize or 'Euroize' their money...

I do have a 4-drawer locking filing cabinet in which I keep my bullion and some sets with holders.

I collect for fun. If I happen to acquire an item that I can dispose of later for a profit, the profit goes into getting more fun items...

Those binders are great Tiff. Where did you get the one with the straps?

The binders look nice. The velcro separator sheets should hold everything in place beautifully. Good going!

Target

I really like the binder you've shown. It looks especially handy for taking coins to shows. I wonder if there is anything in the binder that contains PVC or anything with a sulfuric content?

My raw coins are kept in a standard PVC free 3 ring binder. Inside are the PVC free 20 pocket pages for 2x2's. Each pocket has an acid free archival kraft 2x2 envelope in it. I record the date, variety, rarity, grade and any condition comments on the front of the 2x2. The back of the 2x2 has my name, the date I obtained the coin and, if knonw, the coin's previous pedigree. The coin gets put into an AirTite with white ring and slipped into the page pocket infront of the envelope. Here is one row of coins from the binder (front and back).

small labels for printing with computer

these look like they'd fit on a 2x2 if the coin weren't too large.

Organisation of a collection? Oh my Gawd! Wish I could just hire someone to do it. Maybe one of my kids would like to do it for a silver lined fee?

It says its made from Trilobal nylon.

http://www.caseit.com/caseit/eproddetail.a...5&PID=5409&iss=

They have many options.

Too bad we don't have any fancy numismatic specialty stores like "target" where I live.

I used to have some pinfeed labels that were designed to go on 35mm slides. They were pretty neat. I think these would be great for marking 2x2s and flips.