One of the things that determine the value of a card, asides from the rarity and its production date, is its condition. Newbie collectors are often faced with the challenge of storing their sports cards properly.
Graders check for defects on the edges and the corners. They also check for centering and imperfections on the surface of the cards. Before you buy dodgers baseball cards or any other collection, you need to know how to keep them in pristine conditions.
Storage options.
Penny sleeves.
Penny sleeves provide you with an inexpensive solution for storing your cards. They protect your card from dust, debris, moisture, and physical damage. Most collectors do not use penny sleeves alone to store their cards.
Top loaders
You can think of a top loader as a more durable and sturdier alternative to penny sleeves. They give extra protection for your sleeved cards They are larger, stack well, and are the standard for storing ungraded cards.
Boxes.
Card boxes are great for storing a large number of cards. You can fit hundreds of cards into a single row in the box. Boxes house all your collections in one place and are easy to carry around. You should note that without proper padding you may misplace some loose cards.
Binders sheets.
Binder sheets store 9 and sometimes 6 cards at a time, and have holes by the left edge that attaches to a binder. They are made of more durable plastic than penny sleeves. The sheets let you display your card more readily than storing them in a box or top loader. The sheets are open at the top, meaning cards can fall out if you aren’t careful. They aren’t the best option for storing high-value cards.
Glass display case
If you have a collection of high-value cards and you want to display them, you might want to invest in a glass display case. A case provides comprehensive protection from dust, damage, and theft. The only downsides are the price and bulkiness.
Tips for storing your cards
Categorize them.
It is always a good practice to categorize your cards. Imagine the stress of going through your box of hundreds of cards and not finding what you are looking for. Just like you would see how sites methodologically arrange Venezuelan Topps baseball cards online, you need to invent your system.
Store them in a controlled environment.
Heat, light, and humidity will damage your cards faster than you can imagine. As a collector, you need to store your cards in a well-ventilated environment, away from direct sunlight and heat. Heat and sunlight can degrade ink and reduce the quality of the paper.
Keep them out of reach of children and pets.
Children don’t know any better, you don’t want your kids to turn your valued possessions into playthings, or worse chew toys for your pet. It is best to keep your cards far away from children and pets to save yourself from avoidable heartache.
