Sports Card Storage and Preservation
Rich Mueller
August 20, 2009
Shoe boxes used to be the primary method of storing baseball and other sports cards before there was a 'market'. Now that there is value associated with them, it's best to invest in not only storing your collection but displaying it properly too.
Let's look at some of the best ways to keep your cards safe and even create a great display using little space.
Some of the products to consider when buying storage supplies include:
Soft Sleeves-These clear plastic covers let you slide them over your card for very basic protection. They are inexpensive, with a package of 100 selling for as little as 99 cents. They don't provide a lot of protection but will prevent your cards from scuffing suffering edge wear.
Top-Loaders-These are designed to hold your card with the soft sleeve already on. Top-loaders are made of semi-rigid plastic. When considering using top-loaders, first consider your storage space. Top loaders provide more protection, but they do take up more space than just the soft sleeve. You may want to reserve top-loaders for some of your more important cards.
Storage Boxes-These are white cardboard boxes you can stack. You can choose sizes according to your needs. Some are designed to fit sleeved cards while others have slots big enough to accommodate top-loaders. They hold a certain number of cards, a number usually imprinted on the bottom of the box.
Albums & Pages-Collector albums are more expensive than boxes but they do have two advantages. 1) They allow you to easily look through and share your cards with others by putting your cards in plastic pages for a scrapbook-type presentation and 2) they can be placed on a book shelf, taking up little room where space is tight. If you want to create a full-time display of your sports card albums, you can purchase a stand or stand album, which can then be neatly tucked away when not on display.
Screw Down Cases-These are hard plastic cases that hold one card per case. Because they take up more room than alternatives, screw down cases should be reserved for more valuable cards. As a bonus, they can be displayed using a stand which can be purchase with the case.
Let's look at some of the best ways to keep your cards safe and even create a great display using little space.
Some of the products to consider when buying storage supplies include:
Soft Sleeves-These clear plastic covers let you slide them over your card for very basic protection. They are inexpensive, with a package of 100 selling for as little as 99 cents. They don't provide a lot of protection but will prevent your cards from scuffing suffering edge wear.
Top-Loaders-These are designed to hold your card with the soft sleeve already on. Top-loaders are made of semi-rigid plastic. When considering using top-loaders, first consider your storage space. Top loaders provide more protection, but they do take up more space than just the soft sleeve. You may want to reserve top-loaders for some of your more important cards.
Storage Boxes-These are white cardboard boxes you can stack. You can choose sizes according to your needs. Some are designed to fit sleeved cards while others have slots big enough to accommodate top-loaders. They hold a certain number of cards, a number usually imprinted on the bottom of the box.
Albums & Pages-Collector albums are more expensive than boxes but they do have two advantages. 1) They allow you to easily look through and share your cards with others by putting your cards in plastic pages for a scrapbook-type presentation and 2) they can be placed on a book shelf, taking up little room where space is tight. If you want to create a full-time display of your sports card albums, you can purchase a stand or stand album, which can then be neatly tucked away when not on display.
Screw Down Cases-These are hard plastic cases that hold one card per case. Because they take up more room than alternatives, screw down cases should be reserved for more valuable cards. As a bonus, they can be displayed using a stand which can be purchase with the case.
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