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The Spreadsheet
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60 posts in this topic

One piece of advice I wish I had gotten as my collection started to grow, and certainly when I ordered my second portfolio, was to start and maintain a spreadsheet.

 

I gather there are at least a few other collectors that do this, but I wonder if it is as widespread as it ought to be (imho).

 

I started a spreadsheet when I started to think about separate insurance for the collection, and once I started and implemented a rule that a piece cannot be framed or put into a portfolio UNTIL I enter the details into the spreadsheet, it has been easy to maintain.

 

However, I still haven’t fully entered everything I bought before I started it, particularly in the heady first year of collecting, between cons/ebay/online. Most of it is archived in emails, but the con pieces are the ones you want to record asap because there is often no written record of how many benjamins you handed over to someone in a crowded line.

 

Having it organized in a spreadsheet is much more convenient, and also gives me access to DATA!

 

I track TITLE / DATE PURCHASED / MARKETPLACE / ARTIST(S) / PRICE / DATE SOLD / HISTORY / PHOTO / NOTES

 

TITLE - Self explanatory

DATE PURCHASED - I’ve settled on the day that I physically receive the art, but I can definitely see the value in adding DATE(S) PAID and changing this value to DATE RECEIVED. Particularly with commissions…

MARKETPLACE - This is the Where and Who (if not direct from artist).

ARTIST(S) - I try to include everyone I know has touched the piece.

PRICE - SUM this column for a thoughtful pause about your life and choices. Also, for me this is a single amount that represents the amount I put in. I round up and down at my discretion. Buyer's premium is included, when applicable. 

DATE SOLD - Date I mail it out and I also record the amount in this column. I very rarely sell so this works for me, but I suppose someone who trades more would want more details (when payment was received, how payment was received etc)

HISTORY - One of the most important elements for me. As much information as I can gather about who owned the piece before me.

PHOTO - Not strictly necessary, and does make the spreadsheet file much larger.

NOTES - Any other details, like medium of the piece, artist sent a signed print too, on multiple boards etc.

 

It’s by no means perfect. One column I’d add is DATE OF CREATION - it would be interesting to see what the average age of my collection is, value of collection by era etc.

 

I know of one other board member who tracks some CAF stats as well, such as number of likes and comments. I’d be curious to see what others like to record.

Edited by dichotomy
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I don’t keep a spreadsheet and i wish I took better records during my early days. But I pretty much keep track of what you stated above in my CAF under price paid, date of purchase, and notes. When I sell or trade a piece, I update the notes, like who I sold/traded it to, for how much, and when. CAF also totals how much you paid in art and how much it’s valued. I don’t fill in the value because I don’t know. 

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Collecting meets Spreadsheets - geek Nirvana, I'll play!

I add to the original post for consideration although I don't capture photos (in no particular order despite the numbers):

1. 1 - 5 rating to decide where a piece fits in my collection - If it is a 5, it can be sold with few regrets, a 1 = In the Vault

2. Why / Theme - an 1-2 word indication of why the piece is in my collection - versus someone else's

3. Location - not filled in very well as I can generally remember but as I get older may be more important!

4. Artist (per original poster)  - my detail...I have columns for First - Last Name for both Penciller/Painter and Inker

5. Size - Image Area

6. Signed by artist(s)?

7. Category - Panel or Splash or Cover, etc

8. Type - Some detail on Category - number of panels; condition issues, et al

9. Year created

10. Description - characters on page; is it a battle page, et al

11. In addition to paid amount, a market value estimate  (for purchase date, I use when I won the item, not when received)

12. Do I have a copy of the published comic/book/etc?

13. Do I have a scan of the art?  (if it sucks, I'll make a note)

14. Did I post the art on CAF? (started tracking the date vs. just yes/no)?

For Sold art I have a separate sold sheet in the workbook - it is structured to I can copy the existing row and then just add a few copies of sales info to the end of the record

Edited by mtlevy1
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I use CAF for all of this. Perhaps it's odd, but I do keep a spreadsheet of pieces I don't own that I may have future interest in or just want to know where they're located. That lets me add links to the dealer or CAF page and take notes. I find markets and provenance fascinating, so I find it fun. I've felt like CAF has been a good way to track what I do own. I'll likely start a spreadsheet if I ever sell anything as that will help calculate tax. 

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Spreadsheet? I don’t think I know who the artists are on some of the things I bought. I generally buy what I like, and that’s it; but I do take photo’s of the images and now use a shorthand code for the artist’s name and source (usually).

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51 minutes ago, Rick2you2 said:

Spreadsheet? I don’t think I know who the artists are on some of the things I bought. I generally buy what I like, and that’s it; but I do take photo’s of the images and now use a shorthand code for the artist’s name and source (usually).

<head explodes from anarchy>

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I don't keep a spreadsheet yet, but I have a doc that has:

 

Artists, Title, Publisher, Date, Description used in auction/sale, date purchased, winning bid, BP, shipping, total price, shipped by, arrival date.

Along with pictures/scans.

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4 hours ago, Varanis said:

I use CAF for all of this. Perhaps it's odd, but I do keep a spreadsheet of pieces I don't own that I may have future interest in or just want to know where they're located. That lets me add links to the dealer or CAF page and take notes. I find markets and provenance fascinating, so I find it fun.

Ah, I like this idea. I keep a pretty tight mental tally on some grail pieces, but a spreadsheet would be useful for others. 

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2 hours ago, mister_not_so_nice said:

Not free, but I like www.Collectorz.com 

 

For a published page I add the comic book to my collection and then modify the particulars for the specific page.  Adding the comic quickly gives you all of the published info. 

Thanks! This is the kind of unknown gold I was prospecting for. 

For those using CAF, I totally get it, but feels odd to me to rely exclusively on them, plus there is always the possibility of that information being compromised. 

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4 hours ago, ESeffinga said:

The only spread I keep is the grin on my face, when I view the art around the house.

I always get the feeling that you are the calmest, happiest person here.

 

I feel I'm similar, but substitute 'most manic' for 'calmest'. 

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5 hours ago, dichotomy said:

DATE PURCHASED - I’ve settled on the day that I physically receive the art, but I can definitely see the value in adding DATE(S) PAID and changing this value to DATE RECEIVED. Particularly with commissions…

I always use date I paid or completed final payment if I did payment plans (I don't). Why? Because that's the moment I start making or losing money ;)

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1 hour ago, dichotomy said:

I always get the feeling that you are the calmest, happiest person here.

 

I feel I'm similar, but substitute 'most manic' for 'calmest'. 

Where art is concerned, I resemble that description. Appreciate the thought. Other areas of life, less so, but hey that’s life.  :)

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I keep a spreadsheet to stay organized, record acquisition details, CAF posting dates and as handy reference for buy/sell/trade decisions. I also add personal grades and FMV estimates so I can prioritize/rank pieces and explore options to upgrade or chase grails. 

In many ways, I think having a personal spreadsheet helps me go from clueless to confident.

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to

81EF4216-A282-4223-8478-41584278EA4C.thumb.jpeg.dea4db9555028adf0959ea8e88c989bf.jpeg

 

Edited by GreatEscape
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2 hours ago, vodou said:

I always use date I paid or completed final payment if I did payment plans (I don't). Why? Because that's the moment I start making or losing money ;)

Only if you operate on the theory of cash-basis. Take an extreme example. If you buy something and the market for it freezes, but everything else goes up incrementally, you effectively lose money every day you hold it. And, it sticks like a bone in your throat while you look at it. 

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53 minutes ago, Rick2you2 said:

Only if you operate on the theory of cash-basis. Take an extreme example. If you buy something and the market for it freezes, but everything else goes up incrementally, you effectively lose money every day you hold it. And, it sticks like a bone in your throat while you look at it. 

Correct and correct, nothing like losing money while sitting on your hands, just by sitting on your hands, to clarify the error of one's investment speculation thesis ;)

Date 'cash out' is also important if you're 100% ROI-driven on a 365-day/yr basis, as I am.

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Recently followed up,  circled back,  with someone about a piece of art I was interested in buying from then.  I'd asked a few times on various forums,  I'd expected to get the typical Im-not-interested-in-selling response... instead was shocked to find out he'd sold it!!! He hadn't thought to reach out to me,  because he first looked at email inquiries (I'd reached out on CAF and Twitter).

 

So maybe another column to add to a spreadsheet is "Inquiries": Contact details on anyone who has expressed an interest in buying the art. 

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