How to Guide: Protecting and Preserving Your Trading Cards
With Christmas right around the corner, some young ones, and maybe sold old might be starting to collect sports cards for the first time. When this happens, there can be uncertainty on how to collect, what to collect, and how to properly care for the cards. While the how and what to collect are important, this really depends on the individual, and what appeals to them.
Today, lets really dive into how to care for the cards. The way you take care of your sports cards (or non-sports cards), will drive the value of the cards in the future. Also, it will help with the appeal of the cards to other collectors or investors, if you ever choose to sell.
Here are a couple of household items to keep in mind:
- It all starts with opening packs.
a. While it is always exciting to open a new pack of cards, hoping and praying for your favorite player, or getting that insert/autograph you always dreamed of, you still need to be careful ripping the pack open. Handle the cards with care, and try not to bend the corners. Bent corners, scratched surfaces, indentations, all hurt the overall value of the cards.
2. Protect your favorite players, or most valuable cards. There are many options to protecting your cards after you have opened your packs.
a. Soft “Penny” Sleeve – These are the most basic layer of protection. They are called penny sleeves, because typically you can purchase 100 in a package for around 1 dollar (penny a piece). Storing them in a penny sleeve gives some support to the cards, especially when looking through them, as it helps prevents scratching.
b. Top Loaders – This is one of the most popular ways to store your favorite players and/or valuable cards. These “hard plastic” holders help prevent cards from getting damaged. They are great for viewing, trading, and storing. Most collectors now will put cards into a soft sleeve, then place the card into a top loader, for extra protection. A 25 pack will run you around $3-5 depending on where you are purchasing it from.
c. Sports Cards Binder with Pages – When considering available space, and the ease of viewing cards, this may be one of the most popular. Purchasing these pages is a relatively cheap option and allows you to store many cards in one location. You can typically buy a 100 pack of 9 Pocket pages for around $20. Each page, gives you 9 slots to place your favorite card into. Again, provides the ease of view all your cards in 1 location.
d. Storage Boxes – After you ripped and sorted all your cards, you may have some extra “common cards”. These can still hold value and still should be cared for. There are times a player can go from being a common, to a star. You may need to refer to the common box, and see what’s in there months or even years later. You can purchase single rows, up to 5 row “monster boxes”. These boxes are also great storing options for your star cards as well.
3. Know where to go – When thinking about protecting your cards, you will need to start understanding your best options for picking up the items listed above.
a. Local card shops – this is the most popular option, as card shops are you like your neighbor, and they have your best interest in mind. They can also consult with you and figure out the best options for your collection.
b. Local card shows – another great option, as you get to meet local vendors, and shop for more than just supplies. You can typically get better deals at card shows, but unfortunately, they are only open periodically.
c. Online – There are many great options online, to purchase your supplies, just research the companies first. While Amazon and Ebay may be great outlet, you may not know who you are purchasing from. Companies like Dave and Adams, Blowoutcards, and Columbia Hobby, are all large reputable companies that are in the hobby every day.
This is more of the basic version of what to do with your more valuable cards. Once you master this, you can graduate into other protection option like one-touch magnet holders, grading services, display holders. etc.
The greatest thing about this hobby, is that you get to choose how you want to collect. No one answer is correct. The biggest thing is have fun doing it.
