How CollectorVault works.

What is CollectorVault?

CollectorVault is a private-by-default place to catalog what you collect — snap a photo, let AI identify it and prefill the details, and keep everything organized in your personal vault. You choose if and when to share anything with the collector community. Nothing you add is public until you publish it.

What’s the difference between a collection and a shelf?

They are the two ways you organize a vault, one nested inside the other. Your vault holds collections; each collection holds shelves; and your items live in a collection, optionally placed on one of its shelves.

Vault → Collection → Shelf → Item

• Collection — the broadest section of your vault, like a whole cabinet or a major area of what you collect (for example “Vintage Watches” or “Icons I Love”). A collection can be kept private or published as a whole. Every item belongs to exactly one collection, so you’ll create at least one before you can add items.
• Shelf — an optional grouping of related items inside a single collection, like one shelf within that cabinet (for example a “Divers” shelf inside “Vintage Watches”). Shelves are just for arranging items; an item can sit on one shelf or none at all, and a shelf always belongs to one collection.

In short: a collection is the big container you must have, and a shelf is an optional way to tidy items within it.

Why is the Collection dropdown empty when I add an item?

Because every item has to live in a collection, and you haven’t created one yet — so there’s nothing for the menu to show. Open the Add dialog, choose Add a collection at the top, and make your first one (it takes a name and a private/public choice). After that it will appear in the Collection menu, and you can add items to it and, if you like, create shelves inside it.

How do I add items?

There are three ways, all from the Add dialog:

• One at a time — fill in a title, pick a category, choose the collection (and optionally a shelf), and save. Items start as private drafts.
• AI scan — attach a photo and let the AI identify the object and prefill the title, category, tags, condition, and an estimated value range. Everything it suggests stays fully editable, and it uses one scan from your allowance.
• Import from Excel — download the CSV template, fill it in offline, and upload it to create many items at once. The same validation and limits apply as for single items.

How does the category search work?

Start typing in the Category box and the list narrows as you go. It matches every word you type, in any order, and ignores accents — so “pokemon cards”, “cards pokemon”, and “pokémon” all find “Trading Card Games — Pokémon Cards”. Categories are two levels deep (a broad group and its subcategories); pick the most specific one that fits.

Is my collection private?

Yes. Your vault is private by default — new items, shelves, and collections are private drafts that only you can see. You decide what to publish and to whom: you can share a single item, a whole shelf or collection, or nothing at all. Publishing is always an explicit choice, and you can make something private again later.

What are AI scans, and what do scan packs cost?

An AI scan identifies an item from a photo and prefills its catalog entry, so cataloging is faster. Your plan includes a monthly scan allowance that resets each month. Need more? Scan packs add purchased scans on top that never expire:

• Collector pack — 100 scans · $14.99
• Dealer pack — 500 scans · $59.99
• Estate pack — 1,000 scans · $99.99

Your monthly allowance is used first; purchased pack scans are drawn down only after it runs out. To buy a pack today, reply to any CollectorVault email or message the team — self-serve online checkout arrives alongside billing.

Are AI suggestions and community opinions reliable?

Treat them as a helpful starting point, not the last word. AI identifications and value estimates can be confidently wrong, and comments, “helpful” marks, and identification answers from other collectors are informal opinions — not appraisals, authentications, or professional advice. Always review AI suggestions before saving, and consult a qualified professional before buying, selling, insuring, or valuing anything. See our Terms for the full wording.

Still need help?

Email support@collectorvault.social and we’ll get back to you. You can also read our Terms and Privacy Policy.