How to organise my collection?

[arneman]

I'm looking for a new way to collect my coins, because my current album is begging for reorganisation!!

So my question is: Does anyone here collect Belgian coins? And what do you use to keep them together?

My collection is based on the numbers given by the Morin catalogue.

[Figleaf]

Yes, I collect Belgium, but I'm sure my collection is different from yours. I collect by type, I don't care if my collection is "complete" and I don't care too much about commemoratives, but I do like tokens.

So how does one keep them? Mine are in albums. The order is not mechanically determined by any catalog number (mine are classified by KM), but according to my taste, which is very close to that of the old Yeoman catalogues. That's because I want my coins to tell a story. People who know nothing about coins, but something about the history of the Southern Netherlands, Li?ge, Luxembourg and Belgium can "read" the pages from left to right and from top to bottom, as they would read a book. The beginning of new "chapters" are indicated by an empty 5 x 5 enveloppe with some text, usually a sovereign and dates of reign, sometimes dates of issue of a series. As my guests are looking at the coins I give them some particularly interesting details suiting what I know of their interests.

I am not telling you this because it is the only or the best way. It works for me because it helps me do what I want to do with my collection. I think that's the beginning of the answer. You sit in your favourite chair, drink what you like to drink best and think about why you are collecting. Once you know what you want to achieve by collecting, the other answers will be easier.

Peter

[Prosit]

The statement "...and think about why you are collecting..." really caught my eye.  I have thought about that off and on and have never came to a completely satisfactory answer! 

I don't collect Belgium...mainly because I never ran across a trading partner from there that was interested in anything much I had to trade.  The way I think I would do it is by type and even then probably not all types.  I would keep them in a notebook in 2X2 along with some modern Belgium banknotes and possibly some tokens and a few medals.  In general, I like stereotypical images on coins but can't think of anything that screams Belgium to me personally.  Some of the best steel and Industrial eq in the world came from Belgium and have seen some wonderful old birdguns from there.

Now I need to think a bit on why I collect   Peter, I'll have to pay you back for forcing me to think

Dale

You set in your favourite chair, drink what you like to drink best and think about why you are collecting. Once you know what you want to achieve by collecting, the other answers will be easier.
Peter

[arneman]

This actually got me thinking and the way you put it Peter, really makes it sound more interesting. It's like you said, the coins will have a story to tell. I'll have to get started on a new album as soon possible!