Welcome to the final part of a three part series on “How to Protect Sports Cards”. Here we will give sports cards collectors new and old some ideas for further protecting their sports cards and possibly a few new concepts on the horizon for 2024. For parts 1 & 2 of this series start here!
My typical “go-to” when protecting sports cards is the penny sleeve top loader combo. In many ways it is the most foolproof method when trying to decide how to protect your sports cards. Not to be overlooked is the cost effectiveness, which is something we should always look at as hobbyists in the sports card industry.
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Outside of the penny sleeve / top loader combo there are a few options as we discussed in part 2 of the series. They each have their own special use or purpose, but can be tailored to fit the needs of the collector. In this final post, I want to touch on a few other items that may be of benefit to the modern collector. Some of them focus on the display aspect of card storage or protection, and offer unique ways to show off and protect your treasured cards!
A Basic Mass Storage Option
The Monster box, or columned storage box has become an industry standard storage option. BCW makes the glut of these items, and while I have no sponsorship from them whatsoever, I stand by their product as a best in industry. Durable and fairly affordable (sports card prices aren’t the only thing on the rise!), these boxes can make archiving a collection easy and painless….as long as you have the space!
There are four main sizes, of which three will store a top loaded card perfectly on end. Those sizes are commonly referred to as follows (Clink link for full description):
Shoebox – 2 columns (1600 count naked, 300 W/ Top Loader) – Fits Top Loader
Super Shoe Box – 3 columns (3000 Count, 600 W/ Top Loader) – Fits Top Loader
Monster Box – 4 columns (3200 Count, ~675 W/ Top Loader) – Fits Top Loader
Super Monster Box – 5 columns (5000 Count) – Does not typically fit Top Loaders (row width is narrow)
Typically I use the 2, 3, and 4 column boxes for my top loaded cards and the 5000 count for my penny sleeved or naked common storage. The specs show the row width to be identical for the Super Monster and Monster but my experience shows that the Monster (4-column) has slightly more space to fit top loaded cards.
As an added benefit, the two column shoebox will fit one touch cases likewise. They also make an option for slabbed/graded cards in the shoebox variety if you have the need, as none of the above options fit graded cards and their cases easily.
What if I want to display my cards?
The above options are great for storage and easy enough to sift through if you are searching for a specific card, but if you want to peruse the collection in a more enjoyable manner, there is a myriad of options at your disposal!
There are so many different ways to display sports cards that it would take another 5000 words to cover them all. Here is brief gathering of some tools/utilities that make up the sports card display/storage family:
- Wall mounted display cases like this one!
- Vertical stands similar to this one or this one!
- or even acrylic shelves like this dandy!
My hot 2024 prediction for card display!
My big prediction for 2024 is the rise of the binder! What was once a very popular way to display and store cards has gone a bit by the wayside in our hyper-condition sensitive hobby of today. Traditionally, binder pages are not the most rigid material and lend to cards being bent and dinged when stored poorly. So you may be asking, how is the binder going to make a comeback if it puts the condition of the card in jeopardy?
Allow me to introduce you to the Top Loader Binder Page! Currently there are multiple versions sold on various outlets. A quick Google search will get you what you are looking for in a jiffy. This is a concept that became more of a “thing” with the TCG (trading card gaming) community and has recently begun to get recognized by the sports card side of the hobby.
It gives the option to protect and display at a whim, what more could a collector want? Now you just have to figure out where to put all those binders? Yup, space is always going to be an issue with a physical collectible!
Conclusion
For those of you wondering, I hope you learned a little about how to protect sports cards and store them properly. Not only will it keep your collection in good shape, but these tips can help to make your collection more organized and accessible. An organized collector is a happy collector! Thanks for reading, and until next time, keep collecting!