We couldn’t have a post on “How to Protect Sports Cards” without the mention of the essential Toploader or it’s big brother the One-Touch case! Read on for a few tips on utilizing these protective casings.
If you are new to the world of sports cards or just refining your collecting strategies, one topic that should not escape your attention is how to protect sports cards properly. Card condition is paramount to selling and buying sports cards, which makes the storage methods critical. Plus, what do you do when you pull a card from a pack or acquire a card in its raw form?
**Part 1 of this series, which talks about the importance of the “Penny Sleeve” and how it works with the hard cases described below can be found here.**
Cards get damaged and drop grades when they are stored improperly. A savvy card collector knows this and uses measures to keep the cards in as close to pristine condition as possible post acquisition. There are a few items of use here that we can discuss, which will have you on your way to confidently storing your beautiful cards and keep them from harm’s reach.
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In this post we will talk about the following exterior hard cases, each one having a slightly different use and certain “requirements” to ensure damage is not cast upon an unsuspecting card. Those exterior protective cases are:
Read on to learn when where and how to use each method of exterior protection for your cherished sports cards!
The Toploader
A Toploader, much like a penny sleeve, is a transparent plastic sleeve which your card slides into via a slot in the top. The difference between the Toploader and the Penny Sleeve lies in the rigidity of the material. A Toploader is a hard plastic, wherein the framework does not give easily. When applied correctly and coupled with a Penny Sleeve, it prevents corner dings, edge wear, creases and surface scratches, all blemishes that cause the degradation of a cards condition.
Here we see a 2023 Topps Chrome Pink Refractor Rookie Card of Tristan Casas safely stored away in a Toploader accompanied by a penny sleeve.
There are many companies that have entered the Toploader game. Pricing can vary as can quality at times. I have had Toploaders fall apart at the seams in the past. They aren’t exactly cheap either, as a pack of 25 typically goes for around $4.50 to $6.00, sometimes more!
*Historical Note: During the pandemic crazed days of card collecting Toploaders were actually pretty hard to find. Many sellers took advantage of the shortages.*
The companies that have been in the Toploader game the longest and those who I have gained a level of trust with are Ultra-Pro and BCW. There are other options out there and it is all a matter of preference. Any Toploader is typically better than no Toploader!
One thing to keep in mind is the thickness or card stock. While the typical size for a standard trading card is 2.5×3.5 (standard Toploader size is 3×4), the thickness can vary from card to card. The last thing one wants to attempt is to jam a card that is too thick into an ill-fitting Toploader. However, too thin and it can jog around in the Toploader and do damage.
The sizes range from Standard, which is 35 pt. thickness, to 180 pt. and beyond. The following thickness profiles are a good place to start:
35 pt. (Standard) = 1 regular stock paper card to a regular chrome card
55 pt. = Think along the lines of a chrome refractor with enhanced thickness, or an insert with a slightly thicker card stock
75 pt. (usually termed “extra thick”) = Useful for relics, or autos with slightly larger thickness
100 pt. = This is where you will begin to house patch cards and thicker cards
130 pt. = Typically the higher end patch cards and such (think Definitive, Flawless, etc…)
180 pt. = Even thicker patch or relic cards, maybe shadow box cards, etc…
260 pt. = Bat Knob relic card?
These can typically be bought in bulk on various websites and marketplaces!
The One-Touch
The addition of a One-Touch holder to your card storage arsenal can add a real look of distinction to the collection and it’s more beloved pieces. I don’t “one-touch” a lot of my cards, but I do like to spruce up a few of the bigger pieces with One-Touch holders.
*Here is a 2003 SP Legendary Cuts Hank Greenberg Cut Signature displayed in a One-Touch case
The One-Touch, also known as the “Screw-Down” in more primitive models, is made up of two heavy duty pieces of plastic with interlocking plastic tabs on one end and a magnet on the other (you guessed it, they used to be held together by a small screw instead of a magnet, thus the name “Screw-Down”.) The idea is to rest the card in the recessed area (yup, cardstock matters for these too!) between the two pieces of plastic and enclose the card using the locking tabs on one end and the magnet on the other. Hence, doing all of this in “one-touch” to seal the card. It usually isn’t quite that easy, but it isn’t hard by any stretch. The challenge comes with getting the card centered in the recess.
While cards stay relatively safe from creasing or corner dings, there are caveats to these holders. Some cards that have slightly less than ideal fit can jostle around in them and get damaged by banging into the side walls. Also, they can scratch up the surface of a card, especially if it is a chrome version. The example shown above in the picture utilizes newer design, wherein the recess is made larger and slightly deeper to accomodate a penny sleeve, making many of these concerns moot. These are the One-Touch cases I would use!
Ultra-Pro and Pro-Mold are two of the larger names in the One-Touch game , but as you can imagine, others have jumped in the fray likewise. They typically run $2 for the 35 pt. w/ Penny Sleeve per holder and you can score a case of 20 for around $40. Again, a slightly larger investment to protect those slightly more valuable cards!
Semi-Rigid
While the Semi-Rigid holder has been around for quite some time, it really picked up popularity with the advent of grading. The grading companies like these holders, which are really more like a sleeve, because they are easier to handle, less costly (they don’t return your sleeves), and there is less chance of damaging a card when removing it from a Semi-Rigid. My understanding is that they may actually cut the Semi-Rigid open to remove the card?!?!?
*2023 Topps Heritage High Number Michael Harris II Award Winner insert card encased in a Semi-Rigid —Notice the Penny Sleeve!!!!
Now, there are some people who love and swear by the Semi-Rigid, you do you! If this works with your storage system in place, there are much worse options. My only gripe about the Semi-Rigid is that it is , well, Semi-Rigid! See image below…
When you ship these to PSA or BGS for grading, you sandwich the cards between stiff cardboard pieces to keep them from bending. However, if you store them without something rigid to provide structure? A card can easily bend if the opportunity presents itself. I like them for their presentation and for their thin profile, but for protecting my cards? They are not for me.
Part 2 Conclusion and what’s next?
As you can see, we collectors have many options for card storage. Any of these items we talk about above are better than a naked card sitting on the table waiting to be poked or dinged. There is however, not a one size fits all approach. The Toploader is the most common form of card protection around, that is almost without a doubt. Yet, the proper One-Touch , or the Semi-Rigid definitely has its place.
Many collectors will choose to select the protection that best displays their cards. Some care more about boxing them up and keeping them as close to pristine as possible. Everyone has their thing, and as long as you have a thing, the most important piece, as we stated in Part 1, is still the Penny Sleeve!!! The least costly and simplest piece of the puzzle!
In the final part we will discuss a few other oddball hard cases and storage items that might peak your interest, along with some tips for using the pieces above! Thanks for reading, and keep on collecting!