Upper Deck’s dedicated Gavin McKenna Collection guarantees a 24-card base set in every box, with a chance at pulling a 26th card, an Awards & Honors Autograph numbered to just 5 copies. That guarantee means every single box opened produces cards worth protecting immediately, not just the lucky pulls.
Because this is a single-player product, the entire box’s contents matter to anyone building a McKenna collection, unlike a broad hobby box where most pulls get set aside in favor of chasing one specific card. That changes how you should think about protection from the moment the box ships.
Here is exactly how to protect both the guaranteed base set and any numbered autograph pull before the box lands, using straightforward, correctly-sized supplies rather than overbuying.
Because every box guarantees the full 24-card base set, a complete McKenna collection depends on all 24 cards staying in good condition, not just whichever one card happens to carry his rarest parallel. Treating the base set as disposable while saving protection budget for the rare pull is a mistake specific to this product’s single-player format.
A complete, well-preserved base set also tends to hold more long-term value as a matched unit than scattered individual cards in inconsistent condition, particularly for a rookie this closely tied to a single draft class storyline.
Standard base cards from the McKenna Collection fit a typical 130-point toploader without issue, giving solid, rigid protection against bending and surface damage. EVORETRO’s Topload Card Holder is sized specifically for this kind of standard card thickness.
Toploaders matter more for a guaranteed base set than they would for commons in a high-volume hobby box, since every card here is part of a deliberately built, complete player collection rather than filler.
Once each base card is toploaded, team bags keep the full 24-card set organized as a matched unit rather than loose in a box or binder. EVORETRO’s Resealable Team Bags give the set a clean, uniform look while keeping dust and handling damage to a minimum.
This two-step toploader-plus-team-bag approach is the same standard used for shipping and long-term storage across the hobby, and it works just as well for a personal collection as it does for resale.
If you pull the Awards & Honors Autograph numbered to 5, that card deserves a step beyond standard base-card protection given both its scarcity and its likely path toward third-party grading. A toploader is still the right first step, but consider holding off on any permanent protective sleeve until you have decided whether to submit it for grading.
Cards numbered this low, just 5 copies total, are exactly the kind of pull where resale value and grading outcomes both depend heavily on how carefully the card was handled between the pull and submission.
Given the box’s mid-November release, ordering toploaders and team bags ahead of time means you are not scrambling for supplies the moment the box lands. Having 25 toploaders and a matching set of team bags ready covers the full guaranteed base set plus the bonus card slot without needing a second order mid-unboxing.
Buying in a pack size that comfortably covers one full box, rather than single units, is the more practical approach for a product where the entire contents are guaranteed, predictable collectible material.
If you are planning to buy multiple boxes to improve your odds at the numbered autograph, a dedicated storage box or binder becomes worth considering once you have more than one complete base set on hand. That keeps duplicate base cards organized separately from your primary display set.
Labeling boxes or binder pages by purchase date is a simple habit that pays off later if you end up trading duplicate base cards with other McKenna-focused collectors.
A standard 130-point toploader.
Use a toploader first, but hold off on permanent sleeving if you are considering grading submission.
25, covering the guaranteed 24-card base set plus the potential bonus card.
Resealable team bags, used after each card is toploaded.
A guaranteed base set plus a shot at a 5-copy autograph is worth protecting from card one, not just the lucky pull. EVORETRO’s Topload Card Holder and team bags together cover the full box before it even ships.
Ordering both ahead of the mid-November release means your supplies are ready the moment the box lands, not days later.
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