If you like to collect cards like baseball cards, hockey cards or football cards, you have probably come up with a convenient way to store all of your items. However, it’s a good idea to make sure that you’re choosing a storage solution that is safe. You want to make sure your cards are properly protected from a number of conditions. These cards are generally made from cardstock or paper, with many of the older versions being much thinner than how they are made today.
When your cards aren’t stored properly and incur some sort of damage, this results in your cards not being worth as much as they once were. If you like to sell your cards or care about them retaining their value, you may want to read on to find out more about properly storing your collectible cards. Even if you’re just going to keep your cards on display in your own home, you want them to look as nice and preserved as possible.
Choosing a Storage Location Based on Sunlight
Unfortunately, keeping your collectible cards in an area where a lot of sunlight is present can cause your cards to fade really quickly. The thicker the quality of the card, the longer it will take to break down, but it’s inevitable that the process of aging will take place. Keep your collectibles away from windows and doors that let a lot of sunlight in. Make sure you’re storing your items in a container or tote that isn’t transparent. You want to choose a container that is as dark in color as possible. This will block any light from coming in.
Choosing a Storage Location Based on Humidity
Areas of your home that may contain too much moisture or too little moisture include your basement and your attic. These are areas that you don’t want to store your collectibles in, unless they are being humidity controlled by way of a dehumidifier or humidifier (when needed). The best humidity levels in the room where your cards are stored are anywhere between 45 and 55 percent humidity. To avoid moisture as well, keep your cards away from windows or doors that may be open during times when rain or snow could be coming inside. If your cards get wet, this can cause them to warp, ripple or lose their printing. If your cards get wet and you’re not aware of the issue, mold can grow on them, which would render them useless.
Choosing a Storage Location Based on Temperature
You should avoid having your collectible cards in an area that has temperature fluctuations of any kind. For example, an attic that has extreme heat in the summer and extreme cold in the winter isn’t going to be the best choice for storage. Temperature fluctuations can cause your cards to warp.
Storage Solutions
There are archival boxes that are frequently used for collectible storage. These boxes are acid free, so they won’t affect the quality of your cards. They also protect your items from sunlight. If you’re going to be storing your cards for a longer amount of time, consider wrapping them in tissue paper as well (the acid-free variety). Bunch some of the tissue paper to fill in the various voids that are left in the box. If you move the boxes around, the cards won’t get banged around. Make sure you keep the boxes up off the floor. Floor temperatures can fluctuate too much, and you could experience flooding which would ruin the cards.
Don’t forget to label your boxes. If you don’t want to go sorting through a bunch of boxes later on, you’ll be able to quickly scan the labels to see what is in each of them. You can even take a picture of what’s inside of the boxes, and paste the photo to the outside.
There are many different types of collectible cards that you can accumulate. These storage tips will help ensure that your items stay protected for years to come. These tips also apply to other paper items that you may care about preserving. Paper deteriorates pretty rapidly if it’s exposed to things like sunlight or moisture. A little bit of care goes a long way. Damaged cards and collectible items generally can’t be repaired in a way that will retain their value.
