07 · Templates
Starter Record Templates for Coins, Watches, Jewelry, and Art
Start with a small verified field set for common collectible categories, while keeping source dates, uncertainty, and supporting evidence visible.
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A template should make a record easier to start, not pressure you to guess. Begin with a small group of universal fields and add category-specific details only when you can support them.
Universal fields
Use these universal fields for nearly any object:
- Collection and item name
- Category and quantity
- General location
- Acquisition context
- Condition notes
- Supporting evidence and source date
- Open questions
Add category details when they are supported
For coins, add denomination, year, mint mark, and holder or label wording as a transcription. For watches, add maker, model, reference, material, and documented service history. For jewelry, add maker marks, metal markings, dimensions, and source-based gemstone descriptions. For art, add artist or maker, title or subject, medium, dimensions, inscriptions, and documented history.
Use fully fabricated examples when you test a template. Keep owner-entered estimates, professional appraisals, purchase information, and transcribed labels distinct from each other. A field can record a claim from a source without turning that claim into a fact.
Keep a plain field dictionary as the start
Do not call a template compatible with a particular system until the fields and import behavior have been tested end to end with fabricated data. A plain field dictionary is the safer starting point. Add a CSV, spreadsheet, or downloadable asset only after its headers, empty fields, special characters, duplicate rows, and formula-safety behavior have been verified.