Divide the Collection Before Detailed Recording
Create separate work areas for metal, paper, stamps and porcelain, then assign an identifier to every object or safely inseparable group.
Use a batch photograph only to establish quantity and original arrangement; it cannot replace complete views of an individual item.
Place an object of uncertain material on a labelled review tray instead of forcing it into a category with unsuitable handling.
Choose Photographs for the Material
For metal, capture complete faces, edge or construction, markings and surface changes with scale and orientation preserved.
For paper, retain complete front and back, corners, perimeter and any safe raking- or transmitted-light view without flattening the sheet.
For stamps, document complete front and back where accessible, all perforated edges, attachments, cancels and the original album position.
Build a Different View Set for Porcelain
Show the complete form, profile, mouth, interior, base, foot ring, marks and damage, supporting the body and base during movement.
Record dimensions, weight, tool and native unit only where the measurement is safe and meaningful for that material.
Keep Original Readings and Context Separate
Apply the same item number to full views, close-ups, readings, packaging and documents, while retaining conversions as labelled secondary values.
Store boxes, sleeves, labels and oral accounts in dated context fields rather than allowing them to supply an unseen material or date.
Compare market references only after object type and condition are sufficiently aligned, with source, date, region and unit stated.
Use Material-Specific Support
Keep fragile paper flat and isolated from moisture, leave coins in their current holders without cleaning, and stop turning adhering album pages.
Support porcelain by its base and main body, while unidentified or unstable pieces remain in padded trays until a safe movement plan exists.
Make the Mixed Batch Traceable
Record the original container, shelf or album position, file-name convention, total count and any movement between work areas.
Photograph empty boxes, loose inserts and detached components separately so they do not inflate the count of complete objects.
When a category changes after review, preserve the earlier entry and add the evidence, date and new storage location.
Before handover, reconcile object numbers, attachments, work areas and unresolved trays without applying one inspection method across all materials.
Resolving Objects That Cross Material Groups
A coin kept in a paper envelope receives separate object and enclosure identifiers, preserving their original pairing without treating the envelope as part of the metal condition.
Composite Objects Need More Than One Risk Note
Jewellery with stones or cord, a framed stamp and porcelain with a wooden stand each require a primary support plan plus a secondary-material note for attached components.
Unknown Residue Changes the Next Step
Powder, adhesive, active corrosion or mould is photographed in place and isolated with the affected object, because brushing or transferring it may change both evidence and risk.
When an item moves to another group after review, the dated move log records its former tray, new support and the evidence behind the change without rewriting the batch count.
