
Coin Inventory Software: Review of Two Software Programs
Today I would like to share my experience in using software programs and sharing the pros and cons of each that I am using. I have two different programs EZcoin2 and Exact Change.
Last year I began to recognize the need to organize and put a value on my collection as it has grown to the point where I had something of significant value. and I need to get insurance for it. Also I outgrew the first safe and had to buy a second safe so there was a vast amount of material to organize in a meaningful way. If you have different inventory software you use, please share with us your experiences.
The first one I bought was EZcoin2. Their website is: ezstamp.com/software/coin-collecting-software/
Prices: You have the option of purchasing Canada only, U.S. only, or both Canada and the U.S. databases. Prices are $54.99 USD for either country and $79.99 USD for both countries. It is available by download.
Pros: Some periodic updates are free.
Relatively easy moving between the two countries
Data entry is easy and it has a good display. It provides a mint state example of each coin and you can enter an image of every coin you inventory as well.
The software generates reports breaking down grades and values and offers a grand total value of the coins that you enter. You can use pre supplied values or enter your own price valuations.
I can't say enough about the quality of customer assistance in getting prompt help via either email or by phone. One issue I had when I was learning the software was by phone call after leaving a voice mail on a weekend, I was surprised and pleased to get a call on a Saturday afternoon by the software developer himself and helped my with my question. 5 stars for that guy!
Cons:
It does not have other country databases available.
Provided prices may not be accurate due to infrequency of updates.
Bullion prices infrequently updated.
Overall, this is a pretty good program to use, I would recommend it highly to anyone who collects only Canada or U.S., or both countries. I would not recommend it if you want all the countries of the world available in one software package.
The second program is Exact Change. Their website is exactchange.info It costs $79.95 U,S,D, and is available as a download as well. However, to get the Krause catalogue prices for each grade of coin, you have to purchase up to four additional CD ROMs of Krause catalogue information from $2.99 to $7.99 USD. These come via postal service so it will take awhile to get it when you order. That is a disadvantage from being able to download.
Pros:
Switching countries and data entry is relatively easy, but finding certain coins and their denominations can be a little difficult at times. I give the example of a Mexican 8 reales coin that took awhile to find the appropriate entry place in the database. This is more the exception to the rule, so I generally can say it is pretty easy to use.
Images of each country map and national flag is available for download.
It has a good display of information that is well organized on each coin display.
Cons:
As noted, you have to buy the CD ROMs if you want to be able to determine your foreign coins values.
The biggest complaint I have was the poor customer services I received after attempting to get the first CD ROM I needed. I ordered through the website and paid for expedited delivery. I never got the CD ROM I ordered and eventually had to contest it through my bank to get a refund, which I did. We can say I was not impressed and leave it at that.
I have mixed feelings about recommending this software as highly as I did EZcoin, Both have useful features and relative ease of use, but Its the completeness of EZcoins, despite its limits at this time with only the U.S and Canada databases available that make it come out on top between the two.. The customer service experience is the deciding factor in my preference of EZcoin.
Are you all using any different software? Please tell us all about them!
Comments
I. R. Bama
Level 5
Just looked at EZ coin's update policy. They offer a "continuous update " for both countries for $60.00 USD or either country alone for $47.50. Given that the initial price of the program was $79.99, I thinks that's rather pricy. Exact change offers free updates. That makes up a lot for having to buy the CD ROMs
Oobie
Level 4
I don’t use software to keep a tab on my collection; I use a notebook. It’s probably not the best of ideas, but for starting out, it’s great! My collection is starting to grow quite fast, so I might look into EZcoin2. Thank you for the post!
slybluenote
Level 5
Great blog Bama ! I currently don't use any software but my collection is small. I also may have to start looking into it for the same reasons you indicated. I'm getting to the point where I'm thinking about getting an appraisal and extending the amount of insurance that I currently have. Thanks for the post!
Kepi
Level 6
I have a data base I keep on my computer...not fancy, but it does the job. Thanks for the information ; )
I. R. Bama
Level 5
I did that once and it served my purpose for awhile. I used the Microsoft office spreadsheet. I would say the software I tried is less work even with the the cons I describe. My main complaints is EZcoin doesn't have the white le world of coins and exact change makes you buy all these CDROMs to get the grades and prices. Plus their customer service has been disappointing.
Golfer
Level 5
No soft ware for me yet. I should try something. Very good information and will investigate what all the ideas and ways of categorizing are.
It's Mokie
Level 6
Mike, the only software I use is the NGC software for slabbed coins. It allows you to place NGC, PCGS, and ANACS coins in the database and it also allows for inventory reports. The main drawback, it only provides current market prices for the NGC coins, luckily that is about 80% of my entries. My loose coins, currency, tokens, and medals are unfortunately not recorded in any database. I created my own Excel spreadsheet an added a hundred or so non-slabbed items but kind of got lazy and have not done anything with it for over a Year. Time to get busy, I guess.
Longstrider
Level 6
I just keep a running inventory on an Word data base. I have used the inventory available from Coin World. It's pretty good but I have a lot of VAM's that it does not recognize. That will really jack up the price of a 1922 Peace Dollar. Good luck.
World_Coin_Nut
Level 5
I use Coin Elite which is basically a fancy excel program. U. S. coins are easy to add, just click on what you want to add. For world coins, it is all manual entry. I have used it for so long it would be tough to switch to anything else.
I. R. Bama
Level 5
I tend to think ezcoin does not have tokens. I could not add Bank of Upper Canada tokens that I have. Don't know about exact change because since I had already done my U.S. and Canada coins in EZcoin and didn't want to consolidate in one program.
Mike
Level 7
I don't have softwere. Do I need it probably. But when I started I did it the old fashioned way. I do have a question does it do tokens ? I have many civil war and raw Conder tokens from England? All my slabed coins P.C.G.S. Are in the NGC registry. So I now exactly were they are. I have many raw Morgan's Kennedy's Walking liberty Peace Dollars.. Every few months I check the prices of the raw. coins from various magazines and Ebay Slabed is easy. It keeps me busy and I enjoy the raw coins gloves only. When I sign on to the registry it tells me how many coins and sets. The rest the raw usually stay about the same. Still enjoy them. Great blog. There will be many comments. Thanks for all that information. I will be back to read them.!!