Best Practices For Preserving Trading and Gaming Cards

Collectible trading and gaming cards, as well as sports cards or K-pop cards, all hold a sentimental and valuable investment for a true card enthusiast. That is why it is crucial to practice proper care and storage for these collectible and rare card pieces. In this blog post, we will be giving you our top 5 best practices in preserving the condition of your card collection.

In the trading and gaming card industry, investing in protectors that offer the best quality protection holds better value over opting for cheap, PVC-made storage solutions. PVC, also sometimes referred to as Vinyl or Polyvinyl Chloride, is a type of flexible thermoplastic that is made with plasticizers, a compound that releases chemical gas into the air and breaks down the material over a short period of time.

Archival-grade protectors on the other hand, generally means that they are physically durable and will not cause any harm to your card’s physical value.

According to apartmenttherapy.com, the following plastics are appropriate for preservation storage; Polyester (Mylar or Melinex), Polyethylene, Polypropylene, and Acrylic. “These plastics are chemically inert, meaning they will not change chemically and deteriorate over time, at least within a lifetime in favorable environmental conditions.”

Top-loading sleeves are thick and rigid card cases that offer extra protection against creasing, scratching, folding, and bending. 

We highly recommend EVORETRO’s wide range of Top Loader Sleeves that come in 35pt, 100pt, 130pt, and 180pt.

According to cardshellz.com, the inner cavity of all top-load card cases are measured in the PT scale. The higher the PT value, the thicker the card that should be used for that toploader. If you want to validate the size of your top-load card cases, you can use a micrometer and measure its internal cavity.

Clear, acrylic display cases are ideal storage pieces for avid collectors who love to exhibit and showcase their treasured card collection and other gaming memorabilia. These display cases come in a variety of thickness, sizes, and styles, and can be displayed on stands or hung on walls.

We recommended EVORETRO’s acid-free and UV-resistant PSA-Graded Acrylic Card Stand or their 4mm Acrylic Card Slab Holder for displaying rare, PSA-graded Pokemon cards. However, if you are looking for more flexibility, their multi-purpose Card Display Stand can be used not just for collectible gaming and sports cards, but also for holding photographs, name cards, and coin collections.

We all know how much collectors love to show off their cards. Sometimes, the location of their display racks and shelves can also be the reason for the degrading quality and life of their collection.

Being constantly exposed to direct sunlight can cause unwanted fading and discoloration to cards and boxes over time. That is why it is best to store your collection on a spot that is free from daily UV-exposure. You can also up your game by ensuring that the storage room does not have high levels of humidity or temperature fluctuations.

Storing TCG cards in large capacity binders that feature archival-grade sheets is a great solution for keeping your cards well-sorted, secured, and organized. They are like photo albums, a valuable keepsake that can safely hold your favorite cards in one place, while also being able to proudly display them and protect the cards’ physical condition. 

This is also a great alternative to just keeping your cards stacked. Stacking cards together can cause friction, scratching, and bending, so you should steer clear of this poor collector’s habit, and keep your trading and gaming cards separate from each other.

We recommend EVORETRO’s 216-Pocket Top Loader Binder, which comes in four colors and is designed with a microfiber leather exterior, full zipper closure, strap handle, 4 net pockets for PSA-graded cards, and a GPS-finder slot that can also double down as a memory card holder.

What’s more, you can also get it in a smaller, more compact version, as it’s available in a 96-Pocket Top Loader Binder.

In conclusion, the preservation of your baseball cards, NBA cards, hockey cards, and gaming cards all require a good amount of meticulous effort, as well as smart investments in quality products that can effectively protect the life and value of their physical conditions. 

With over 8 years of trusted service and professional experience, EVORETRO has long been a beacon of light to gamers and collectors all over the world. Together, let us continue to light the fire and keep the collecting nostalgia alive for this generation and the ones yet to come.