If you’re a baseball fan, you know that baseball cards are one of the most classic collectibles any fan of the sport can acquire. These cards usually feature baseball players, stadiums, baseball teams, or even celebrities.
Baseball cards are a trend, especially in some countries of the world where baseball fans represent a large percentage of the population. Baseball cards are trading cards that are commonly printed on plastic or card stock, depending on the companies that produce them.
How to store baseball cards? Here’s a quick summary of how to store sports cards!
| Sports card protector Types | Ideal for | Estimated cost |
| Penny sleeves | Protect the cards from dirt and prevent them from sticking together. | 100 qty for $2 |
| Top loaders | Stack together cards & can be used together with the penny sleeves | 100 qty for $10 |
| Card savers | Similar to penny sleeves but sturdier | 100 qty for $10 |
| Team bags | Loosely stack group cards together | 100 qty for $3 |
| Binder sheets | Storing bulk amount of cards together | 20 qty for $5.50 |
| Cardboard/boxes | A baseball card organizer that can store high quantities of cards | 1 box for $5.50 |
| Display glasses | Best for showing off your collection | 1 case for $50 to $200 |
Contents
Ways to Store Baseball Cards
Before I start telling you the ways to organize baseball cards, here’s a fun fact — the first ever baseball card was made in 1865. Since then, baseball cards have gained popularity in baseball-loving countries.
If you’ve been a baseball fan for years now, chances are you already own a stack of baseball cards as part of your collectibles. Your treasured cards need to be tucked in a place away from dirt for preservation, though. That’s why I am here to tell you some baseball card storage ideas.
1. Use penny sleeves
To prevent moisture from damaging your baseball cards, you can try using the most basic way of storing through the use of penny sleeves. Among all the trading card storage ideas, this is the cheapest way to store your cards.
Penny sleeves keep your cards away from moisture and dust and also help keep them from sticking together.
Also, just make sure you purchase the products that are acid-free to keep your cards in good condition for a long time.
- Affordable – This is the cheapest way to store your baseball cards. It can be bought in malls, convenience stores, and even in arts and crafts stores.
- Its flexibility – Because penny sleeves are made of plastic, it’s easy to keep them in bags, pockets, or wallets without much hassle. Because of this, you can conveniently bring your cards wherever you go.
- Not sturdy – Given penny sleeves’ flexibility, they are not sturdy enough to protect your baseball cards from any possible surface blows to the cards. When you’re not careful enough in handling them, the corners could get ripped or folded.
2. Use plastic top loaders
Top loaders pretty much work similarly to penny sleeves but are sturdier. They are also both used together for more solid protection given that penny sleeves are soft and flexible, and top loaders are rigid and firm.
When using both penny sleeves and top loaders together, you can insert your baseball cards first into the penny sleeves before having top loaders to protect baseball cards from external conditions. Aside from being sturdy, top loaders are also very much affordable.
Also, top loaders prevent the cards from being folded. However, you should store your cards away from heavy sunlight as this will fade their colors, and maybe even damage them.
- Affordable
- Rigid- As stated above, they provide excellent storage for cards because of their structure.
- Convenient to use – A huge opening is a general characteristic in top loaders. This makes it easy for you to insert cards in and out of it.
- Usually paired with penny sleeves – a top loader can be maximized with the use of a penny sleeve in trading card organization and sometimes, it can be a hassle.
3. Use of card savers
In baseball card organization, you can make use of card savers when you want something that stands in the middle of being rigid and super flexible.
Furthermore, they come in different sizes which makes it easy for card collectors to choose from a variety of choices.
- Its structure – It gives us just the right combination of flexibility and sturdiness, that helps keep baseball cards in mint condition
- Affordable – Card savers are affordable storage as you wouldn’t need to buy both the penny sleeves and top loaders to hold cards firmly.
- The lid is easy to break – While card savers are a great way to store cards, its lid is easily breakable so it’s important that we be wary in handling it.
4. Use team bags
Team bags are typically used when you store multiple cards in one place, and you don’t want them scratching each other’s surface. This works great when your baseball cards are already stored in separate cards and you just want to place them in one place for protection.
- Spacious and easy to maneuver – Team bags have adhesive tapes at the opening, making them excellent storage for cards that are already inserted in a holder.
- Cannot provide sturdy protection – Team bags just like penny sleeves are not ideal as robust holders of baseball cards.
5. Use binder sheets
Binder sheets are convenient to use when you want to store multiple quantities of baseball cards in one sheet of a large holder. Binder sheets may vary from having 6 to 9 slots per sheet.
- Easy viewing of cards – Binder sheets makes it easy for you to view your collection of cards because of their transparent plastic display.
- Does not provide optimal protection – Binder sheets are similar to penny sleeves when we base it on their structure so when you get your baseball cards in and out of it, you have to be careful because your cards might get folded.
6. Use cardboard or boxes
Cardboards as storage boxes are also great holders for your baseball card collection. But instead of having the regular shoebox found in the garage, you can opt to use cardboards that have dividers inside for more convenience.
- Store multiple baseball cards – Cardboards are spacious enough to store multiple cards from your collection.
- Bulky – Cardboards are typically large in size and cannot be conveniently brought anywhere because of their size.
7. Use display glasses
This type of baseball card storage will elevate the look of your collection. Display glasses are mainly used to store expensive cards, while still keeping them in place and away from any possible damage.
- Excellent protection – Display glasses are the best way to store baseball cards when you want to ensure protection and keep your cards away from moisture, dust, and the risks of getting them folded or torn apart.
- Pricey – The price of display glasses is very high as they’re made of quality glasses.
Things to Consider When Storing Your Cards
- The best way to ensure that you’re storing your cards correctly is to recognize which among the types of storage above you will use. You have to use one that suits your type of card, your needs, as well as your convenience.
- The best way to store baseball cards is to place them where they’re not directly affected by the sunlight. The rays of the sun can damage a lot of surfaces when something is often exposed to it.
- Also, the best way to store trading cards is to put them away from moist Your cards can easily be damaged once exposed to watery and moist areas so always be on the lookout for that.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you take care of baseball cards?
Taking care of baseball cards starts with putting them away from external conditions that cause damage. You can also make a DIY trading card storage.
In connection with making DIY trading card storage, you can also tuck your baseball cards in a safe place where you won’t be wary if it gets accidentally scratched.
What is the best temperature to store baseball cards?
It is advised to store your prized baseball cards at a temperature of 68 and 72 °F. This is important in order to preserve the quality of your cards.
Conclusion
Baseball cards as collectibles have already grown and made their way to the hearts of baseball lovers over the years. It is undeniable that these collections have become a part of the watching experience of a lot of fans of the sport.
However, the job does not stop with buying your own baseball cards, because you have to take care of them by putting them in different card holders. So in this article of “how to store baseball cards?”, I hope you gained a thing or two on how best you can tuck your cards safely.
Thank you for reading!
A powerful swing and the ball is flying across the field, just one hit, and we might never forget the thrill it brings. I do not know about you, but I never do. Every baseball game is the chance to compete with others and cooperate with your teammate. It is among my biggest passions.
