How Do You Track Your Collection?

[Iron Fist]

Rather niche question I guess, but I'm just finishing putting every comic I've bought into a spreadsheet so I know how many I've got, how much I've spent, how much it's worth by RRP etc.

I was sort of wondering how other collectors keep track, spreadsheets, log books etc.

And any examples of your tracking? I'm undecided if the way I've done my spreadsheet is the most practical.

[Bri]

Keep track of my collection? Huh. Never thought of that. What I do is I buy every single gn/tpb I can reasonably afford, read 'em and shove 'em on a shelf (or in a stack on a pile in a box) is a somewhat alpha-numeric order. Then when I buy new books and I can't remember if I have it or not I look over the shelves/stacks/piles/boxes. If I don't have it, I buy it. Repeat process.

I would like to note that despite having about 1500 gn's/tpb's (totally a guess. I will never count them) in my collection I have almost never bought duplicate books. My memory seems to be about 99% accurate when it comes to comics entertainment. I have only one significant other, and my accuracy rate is the exact opposite in remembering birthday's, our anniversary, airport pick-up times etc. A fact I have been reminded of 17.985 million times today alone!

[marvelmaniac6169]

All issues are written down by Title and Genre but only for Insurance purposes.
If/When I purchase a new book(Marvel/Atlas, Silver/Gold but new to me)I save it on my computer and at the end of the year a new list is submitted to the insurance company and I store pics and lists on Flashdrives at my home and one is stored at my Daughters home.

This is an example of my lists...

[Iron Fist]

I suddenly feel like the odd one out because my list/spreadsheet is like:

[SJNeal]

You sir, are far too organized!

I've tried many times to get my collection under control, and after a lot of work most of it is. Unfortunately the organized stuff is all locked away in a cold, dark, storage unit that I only see a few times a year. My apartment on the other hand, is full of miscellaneous stacks in various stages of read/unread, dating back about 3 yrs.

[osakafanz]

I suddenly feel like the odd one out because my list/spreadsheet is like:

Very similar to my collecting situation... with d excel sheet minus d RRPs.

Have u posted how your collection looks like already?

[Iron Fist]

Very similar to my collecting situation... with d excel sheet minus d RRPs.

Have u posted how your collection looks like already?

I'm glad I'm not the only one!

I posted in like october? When I had maybe 50 graphic novels, i'm waiting for some more stuff to get delivered and then I'll post an update.

[madhouse]

I suddenly feel like the odd one out because my list/spreadsheet is like:

+1

This is what I do, with Excel (except not as detailed as yours). The idea is to keep track of how much I spent and saved. For example my total spending must not exceed certain percentage of total cover price. This helps me in making decision on purchasing those expensive OOP.

[canadianaidan64]

Goodreads. It's pretty easy because I only buy collected editions. For other things I collect such as trading cards I use Microsoft Excel doccuments.

[Flight]

i keep a note on my iphone of books on my wishlist, but ive nearly completed it and only need 3 more books until im done

[No_Problem]

Goodreads. It's pretty easy because I only buy collected editions.

That's also what I use. As soon as I get a new book, I use the phone app to scan the barcode and add it to the "to-read" pile. It's nice since I get a centralized place with book covers and all

[Judge Dredd]

collected editions are all out on shelves, I do have a list of books to buy but once off the list they are not tracked. For single issues I store them in long boxes and then label the top and side of the box. Some boxes have more detail but a lot of just labeled with a writer or character and just remember what is in the box.

[Captain Craig]

I have an Omni/OHC in a spreadsheet and list them alphabetically and then include: 1st/2nd print, MSRP, Paid for Price, Current Market Value
It does have a running total at the bottom so I do know within a fairly good margin exactly what I've spent on books.
Although the CMV is a field I've yet to actually begin trying to track cause I'm not sure what the best way to gauge is, Ebay?

I need to look into getting my collection onto my homeowners insurance, this is something a few friends have brought up to me and I've seen some here mention it as well.
I have a friend who has a very substantial Transformers collection spanning the decades, some in boxes, some AFA graded and his insurance requires him to update them bi-annually via a spreadsheet he keeps on their value. A guess a hardcover/omni collection is done similar by insurance companies that offer that type coverage.

[Canucked]

I have only one significant other, and my accuracy rate is the exact opposite in remembering birthday's, our anniversary, airport pick-up times etc. A fact I have been reminded of 17.985 million times today alone!

I hear you and feel your pain.


I don't keep track of my collection because it was never meant to be a collection. It just happened. It's also not all in one place let alone a spreadsheet. I have some nice organizd shelves up but then I have my absolutes at my parents place from when we moved and my partner has to begrudgingly share our closet with some boxes.

[Bri]

I hear you and feel your pain.


I don't keep track of my collection because it was never meant to be a collection. It just happened. It's also not all in one place let alone a spreadsheet. I have some nice organizd shelves up but then I have my absolutes at my parents place from when we moved and my partner has to begrudgingly share our closet with some boxes.

At least all my stuff is in 1 Building! of course I may need to add on...
Well let us both celebrate the fact that we have found someone who will but up with our space & time consuming hobbies/obsessions.