Helpful collector resources

Well-known sites, most of them free, for checking certification numbers, looking up prices and population reports, and caring for your collection.

Watches

• Fondation Haute Horlogerie (FHH): Swiss watchmaking foundation with a free encyclopedia of watch terms and complications.
• WatchBase: Free reference database of watch models, calibers and specs.
• AWCI: American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute, with a directory for finding a certified watchmaker for service.
• NAWCC: National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors: education, museum and library resources.

Coins

• PCGS CoinFacts: Coin reference with photos, mintages and price guide values (some features need a subscription).
• PCGS cert verification: Look up a PCGS certification number.
• NGC cert lookup: Verify an NGC certification number.
• NGC price guide: Free US coin price guide.
• NGC population report: How many coins NGC has graded at each grade.
• United States Mint: Official source for US coin programs, products and coin information.
• American Numismatic Association: Nonprofit coin collecting association with education resources, including counterfeit detection.
• Numista: Free community catalog of world coins and banknotes.

Trading cards

• PSA cert verification: Look up a PSA certification number.
• PSA population report: How many cards PSA has graded at each grade.
• Beckett grading card lookup: Verify a Beckett (BGS/BVG) graded card.
• SGC cert lookup: Verify an SGC certification number.
• CGC Cards: Grading service for trading cards, with cert lookup and population data.

Comics

• CGC cert lookup: Verify a CGC comic certification number.
• CGC census: How many copies CGC has graded at each grade.
• CBCS verify: Verify a CBCS certification number.
• Grand Comics Database: Free nonprofit database of comic issues, creators and covers.
• Library of Congress: caring for paper: Preservation tips for storing paper items such as comics.

Fragrance

• Fragrantica: Free encyclopedia of perfumes, notes and perfumers.
• Basenotes: Long-running fragrance database and community reviews.
• The Fragrance Foundation: Industry nonprofit with fragrance education.
• IFRA: International Fragrance Association, which sets fragrance ingredient safety standards.

Every collection

• Library of Congress: collections care: Free guides to storing and caring for personal collections.
• Insurance Information Institute: Insurance industry-supported nonprofit with consumer information on home insurance, including coverage for valuables.