SNDB Integration with Cdn-Money.ca

News: Welcome to the Canadian Paper Money Forum.

I have been in discussion with DR (the Admin at Cdn-Money.ca) recently about integrating the High/Low data from this website (CMT) with the High/Low database here (CPM). I would like to present the plan to you folks here and see if you have any comments or concerns that we can take into consideration.

The plan is to export data in an automated fashion on a regular basis from CMT to CPM. Included in the export would be the high note and the low note for every prefix in the Canadian Journey series.

As an example, say DR originally entered note BTX0001234 back on April 1, 2009, and he found it in Toronto. When this gets imported to CPM, it would show up as the new BTX low number similar to below:
BTX 2008 Low 00***34 DR [CMT] Toronto, ON 01-Apr-2009
BTX 2008 High 9999999 BWJM Vancouver, BC 15-Jul-2009

The serial number would be obscured (for consistency with the CMT site). Also, the original contributor's username is displayed with a link to CMT. The city, province and date of when the note was entered are also reported.

If you have any comments, concerns or questions about the pending integration between the Canadian Money Tracker website and the Canadian Paper Money website, please post a reply to this thread. Thank you!

My concern is the quality of the data in the Cdn-Money database. For instance, the high-low table for the Journey $100 notes contains three invalid prefixes. The Journey $20 table does not have the ALM prefix despite me adding an ALM note 2 years ago.

The biggest problem I have seen, and I have been a member of that site too for seven years now is that anyone, even non-members can enter notes.

When you look at the high low listing for many prefixes you will see  that many highs are 9,999,999 and many lows are either serial number 1 or 0. 

There are also many ladder serial numbers entered.

It is like people are having fun and enter whatever number that they like or looks cool.

On that site they also do not keep track of the face or back plate numbers and one cannot expect non note collectors to record that number too.

But then again cdn-money.ca site is the direction this site is going since the SNDB started as the great information we received from the forums has now dropped to almost no one using them.

simpson105378

My concern is the quality of the data in the Cdn-Money database. For instance, the high-low table for the Journey $100 notes contains three invalid prefixes. The Journey $20 table does not have the ALM prefix despite me adding an ALM note 2 years ago.

It is acknowledged by both the CMT admins and myself that the CMT database does have some invalid data. However, this should not be a serious concern. Should the CMT data include a prefix that the SNDB is not already aware of, that prefix will not be included in the High/Low lists. This is by design. Conversely, if the CMT does not have a prefix that is well-known to exist, this will have no negative impact on the SNDB whatsoever.

The biggest problem I have seen, and I have been a member of that site too for seven years now is that anyone, even non-members can enter notes.

When you look at the high low listing for many prefixes you will see  that many highs are 9,999,999 and many lows are either serial number 1 or 0. 

There are also many ladder serial numbers entered.

It is like people are having fun and enter whatever number that they like or looks cool.

On that site they also do not keep track of the face or back plate numbers and one cannot expect non note collectors to record that number too.

But then again cdn-money.ca site is the direction this site is going since the SNDB started as the great information we received from the forums has now dropped to almost no one using them.

Yes, that can be a problem too. The lack of FPNs and BPNs is not a serious concern as this data is only intended to be used for the High/Lows. Similarly the 0000001 and 9999999 notes will not likely be much of a problem because it's only the High/Lows that we're dealing with. However, should I notice any obviously erroneous data, I will make the CMT admin aware of it and request manual removal of the data from his database.

All of these issues are not expected to be serious, and they can be overcome.

With all due respect, have you not considered Where's Willy which has a much higher amount of bills entered and more active users? 

I am registered at both websites tracking Canadian Currency(3 if you count WHIB) and in my experience have found WW to be much more up to date thanks to some help from Seth.  I know I mentioned the possibility of contacting Hank to see if he would release the information you need for your research, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

With all due respect, have you not considered Where's Willy which has a much higher amount of bills entered and more active users?

Yes. I am also in discussions with Hank from WW, but those discussions are not at the same stage (yet).

You can also consider the CMT integration a "pilot" where we can take the lessons learned and apply them later should the WW integration occur.