Why keep track at all
A list of your cards answers questions you will ask sooner or later. Do I already have this card? What is missing from this set? Which of my cards went up in value? Is it worth selling my duplicates? Without a list, the answers take an evening of flipping through binders.
A good record also protects you. If cards are lost, stolen or damaged, a list with versions, conditions and values is what an insurer asks for. And when you trade, it helps you see whether a trade is fair before you agree to it.
Finally, a record makes collecting more fun. Watching a set fill up, seeing which cards you pulled this month and knowing what your best cards are worth turns a pile of cards into a collection you understand.
What to record for every card
The more precise your record, the more useful it is. For each card, note the details that change its value:
| Detail | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Card name, set and number | Identifies the card exactly, also when two cards share a name |
| Version | Normal, reverse holo, holo and 1st Edition have very different prices |
| Language | Asian cards are separate cards, and buyers may prefer one language |
| Condition | Wear lowers the value, so it belongs next to the price |
| Quantity | Duplicates are your trading and selling stock |
| Date added | Shows how long you have had a card and how its value moved since |
You do not need to record everything at once. Start with your most valuable cards and the sets you are completing, and add the rest as you go. The card value guide explains how to recognise versions and judge condition.
Organise the cards themselves
A clear record works best with a clear physical order. Many collectors keep each set in its own binder, in number order, so a missing card stands out as an empty pocket. Valuable cards go into a soft sleeve and then a rigid toploader, so they do not bend.
Keep duplicates apart from your main collection, in a box sorted by set. They are what you trade and sell, and having them in one place makes a card fair or a trade evening much easier. Whatever system you choose, keep it the same as your list, so the two never drift apart.
Follow the value over time
Card prices move every day. A collection tracker that adds up the market price of every card shows you the total value of your collection and how it changes over weeks and months. That makes it easy to spot the cards that rose sharply, and to decide whether this is a good moment to sell.
Read the total with care. It is based on market prices for cards in near mint condition, so worn cards are worth less in reality. Cards without a known price are best left out of the total rather than guessed. And a single day says little: look at the trend over a month or longer before you act on it.
Keep an eye on the cards that move. When a card rises quickly, it is often because of a new set, a tournament deck or a popular video, and such jumps can fade as fast as they came. If you were planning to sell, a sharp rise is a good moment to check the price again and make up your mind.
Complete your sets with a wishlist
Completing a set is one of the most satisfying goals in collecting. A tracker that knows every card in a set can show you at a glance which cards you have and which you miss, and what the missing cards cost together.
Put the cards you are hunting on a wishlist with their current price. Before a card fair or an online order, the wishlist tells you how much you need and which cards are the expensive ones, so you can set a budget and spot a good deal when you see one.
Sets differ a lot in what they cost to complete. A recent set with many secret rares can cost far more than an older one, and a handful of expensive cards often make up most of the total. Knowing that early helps you decide whether to go for the full set or only the cards you really like.
Keep your record safe and private
A list that only lives on one phone can disappear with that phone. Keep a copy: sync your collection to an account so it is on every device you use, or export it as a spreadsheet from time to time and store it somewhere safe. For valuable cards, add clear photos of the front and back, which also help if you ever need to make an insurance claim.
Your collection is also private information. If other people use or see your phone, choose a tracker that can hide amounts and lock the app, so the value of your collection is not on show.
Use your list to trade and sell
A good list turns your duplicates into something useful. Before a trade, look up both cards: the version, the language and the current market price. A trade where both sides give up roughly the same value is a fair trade, and having the prices on your phone makes that conversation easy and friendly.
When you sell, your list tells you which cards are worth listing on their own and which are better sold together. It also tells you what you paid attention to when you added a card, such as its condition, so you can describe it honestly without taking every card out of its sleeve.
Get started in one evening
Starting is the hardest part, so keep the first step small. Pick one binder or one box, and record every card in it before you move on. Begin with the cards you care about most, so the most valuable part of your collection is on the list first.
Work one page at a time, and put each card back exactly where it came from. Record duplicates as a quantity instead of separate entries. At the end of the evening you have a complete record of one part of your collection, and adding the rest becomes a habit: every new booster goes on the list the day you open it.
Track your collection with Scanvisto
Scanvisto builds your list while you scan. Point your iPhone at a card, or lay several cards next to each other, and the app recognises them with the set, number, language and version. Add them to your collection and each card keeps the market trend in euro, updated every day, with the total value of your collection and how it moved over time.
The sets view shows what you have and what you miss, and the wishlist keeps the prices of the cards you are hunting. You can hide all amounts with one tap, open the app with Face ID, export your collection as a spreadsheet and sign in with Apple to keep it on every iPhone. Your card photos never leave your phone. See what Scanvisto does, or read the help page for the details.
Questions
What is the easiest way to start?
Start with the cards you care about most: your most valuable cards and the set you are completing. Scanning them one binder page at a time goes faster than typing them in.
Should I record cards in bad condition?
Yes. They still count for completing a set and for trading. Note the condition, so you do not mistake their value for that of a near mint copy.
How do I know what my whole collection is worth?
Add up the market price of every card in the version and language you own. A collection tracker does this for you and updates the total every day.
What happens to my list if I lose my phone?
If your list only lives on that phone, it is gone. Sync it to an account or keep an exported copy, so you can restore it on a new phone.
Is it worth recording cheap cards?
For completing sets, yes: a common card you are missing still leaves a gap. For everything else, recording only the cards worth a few euro or more keeps your list quick to keep up to date.