best card storage?

[Thrond]

I store all my cards (even basic lands) into Dragon Shield sleeves (I don't like Ultra Pro's), which I put then into binders.

[l0qii]

Seems to be a general trend here. I also have my sets in Ultra Pro pages in D-Ring binders, with only certain key cards also in penny sleeves.

Everything else I store in an old 72 drawer library card catalog that I was lucky enough to save from being turned into kindling. Each drawer is about equivalent to an 800 count box, and fits cards beautifully. I also have several boxes of cards sitting around, mostly unsorted.

[Siddhartha]

Thanks to everyone for your replies. It seems that most of us use the same basic storage products, which is actually a little disappointing to me. I was hoping there existed a professional-grade product that I hadn't heard about. Given the length of time card collecting has been popular (1940s baseball cards, etc) I felt sure that there was a better commercial solution for the permanent storage and display of complete sets in particular.

I agree with the general consensus that D-ring binders and 9-pocket pages offer good protection for most cards, but I am still concerned with long-term storage. Even with the most careful handling there is an inherent risk of damage when using binders. Ring damage seems reasonably preventable; my biggest concern is with binder pages insofar as the cards are not really secure (sealed). Lay the binder down the wrong way and the cards begin to slip out. This may seem trivial (just be careful, idiot) but it seems to me a little like keeping a vase on a pedestal. You're asking for it.

Using individual sleeves in conjunction with 9-card pages offers a possible solution, but as discussed, the sleeves tend to be slightly too big to fit in the slots without bubbling, rendering this option less than optimal for display purposes. Has anyone seen an extremely snug-fitting soft sleeve (smaller than 2 5/8 X 3 5/8 )?

As all of you are well aware, in just ten years mint condition copies of the original cards have become quite scarce. If MTG manages to remain popular for another ten years, the same cards will likely be worth several times their current values. I think it is arguable that the current popular method of "set storage" offers insufficient protection for the most valuable cards and therefore, the entire set. With time and increasing values, this problem will only become more acute. Cards can, of course, be quite well protected individually, but a box of 300 hard cases is not my idea of an elegant display.  ;D

I've made a cursory search of general archival resources, hoping to find good information on preservation of paper materials that may be interesting/useful to myself and members of this forum. This resource (http://aabc.bc.ca/aabc/toolkit_preserva ... nning.html) appears to be largely concerned with photographic material but it is nonetheless relevant and although dry, should spark your thinking about preservation. It offers some excellent links, the most notable of which is the Image Permanence Institute (http://www.rit.edu/~661www1/sub_pages/8contents.htm). I haven't yet given either site a careful reading so I'm sure the entire forum would benefit from your comments if you find either site to be useful. Incidentally, the IPI offers an excellent shareware "Preservation Calculator" which it may interest you to know assigns a "Preservation Index" of 44 years for material stored at 70 degrees Fahrenheit with a relative humidity of 45%. (If you are young and expect your collection to last a lifetime, it seems climate control is a critical consideration.) All this does not, of course, address the issue of damage from handling, but I'm hopeful that further investigation may yield some better methods for those of you who may be interested.

Thanks for reading.

[Cizzio]

I would love to have special albums that fits a whole set. Like an album that fits 306 cards for mirrodin, anotherone that fits 165 for darksteel and so on...

[Tenacious_Dyl]

Encase each card in glass, or a polycarbonate. (of course this is PERMANENT STORAGE) but the card would be minty... forever :) (glass does not decompose)

[Luis]

My strategy is similar to Hank's. Most of my cards are stored in 3200 ct. cardboard boxes, with simple card sleeves on the more valuable ones. I have an Ultra-pro Zippered D-ring 9-pocket Album for the cards I have for trade, but I also use the 10-page 9-pocket albums for presenting really nice sets or rarities. I usually do two cards, front and back in each slot.

Edit: added links

I hope this doesn`t sound stupid but could anyone tell of an European online store that has those long card boxes for sale?
I`ve been searching forever here in POrtugal and haven`t found a store that carries that stuff... >:(
Also, does anyone know where i could get those long cardboard boxes from tempest, exodus, stronghold, multiverse, etc(any of this type) that used to be issued by Wizards of the coast to store cards?
Well, since i`m on an asking spree i might as well ask if anyone knows where i could find those PKK black deck boxes?
Sorry for all the questions guys ;)

[dragsamou]

I hope this doesn`t sound stupid but could anyone tell of an European online store that has those long card boxes for sale?
I`ve been searching forever here in POrtugal and haven`t found a store that carries that stuff... >:(
Also, does anyone know where i could get those long cardboard boxes from tempest, exodus, stronghold, multiverse, etc(any of this type) that used to be issued by Wizards of the coast to store cards?
Well, since i`m on an asking spree i might as well ask if anyone knows where i could find those PKK black deck boxes?
Sorry for all the questions guys ;)

Hi Luis.
It's quite Impossible to find them nowadays in Shops in Europe.Time to time,they show up on Ebay.What's PKK?

[Luis]

Hey Alexis,
PKK was an old card supply manufacturer like Ultra Pro that existed some years ago.They produced some cool black hard deck boxes with some awesome illustrations in the front.They callled them "The game keeper" and "The darkside".

BTW Alexis, i`m not sure if you were looking forr it but i came accross a AA visions portuguese and spanish Jamuraa Lion.Let me know if you need them ;)

[AzureWinter]

Depending on what card and what set, I treat it differently.
Whatever above The Dark, I just put it in a 3~3.5inch D-Ring binder with the Ultrapro's 9socket pages.  I only use one side of the pages but I put a playset in each socket so.

Whatever before The Dark, I use penny sleeves and Hard plastic Sleeves and store it in a box (yes, it does take up alot of room).  I do the same for any promo/misprint/special cards.

[TerraFrost]

I haven't yet given either site a careful reading so I'm sure the entire forum would benefit from your comments if you find either site to be useful. Incidentally, the IPI offers an excellent shareware "Preservation Calculator" which it may interest you to know assigns a "Preservation Index" of 44 years for material stored at 70 degrees Fahrenheit with a relative humidity of 45%. (If you are young and expect your collection to last a lifetime, it seems climate control is a critical consideration.)

for some reason, i don't think that most baseball cards from the 1940's (which you mention, earlier) have been kept in climate controlled conditions, so i have a feeling mtg cards won't need to be, either ;)

anyway, something you could try doing is to sorta double layer the more valuable cards.  ie. put one sleeve over a card such that the open end is facing down, and another cover over that sleeve, such that the open end is facing the other direction.

also, it's been my observation that most sleeves are tall enough to allow quite a bit of slipping up.

[Cizzio]

I need to buy some binders and pages to them.
And im asking if someone of u can tell me where I can get it cheap... (not ebay, I prefer a store)

im looking for:
6pc of 3" Album Collector's Card Blue
4pc of Albumpages 9-cards Ultra Pro Box

if I order here in sweden (where I live) it will cost me 1425SEK (191$) shipping included.

any tips?

[sylvanstu]

I use Avery view SLANT rings for my sets all my over stock are in 10,000 count boxes seperated by color and commons and uncommons,( my blue commons are also seperated by expansion and alphebetical) but this was alot of work and never did the rest of the colors. All my extra rares are in binders seperated by set. my big trade binder has all my power and fun cards to play with to trade like rancors and flings ect. I made my own sleeves for my box topper collection since then i have found sleeves that fit them they are Ultra pro 2 pocket page  protects up to 5x7 if anyone wants any let me know i'll send you some i bought a 100 count box.

;D

[Charlie]

Instead of 10-page 9-pocket albums I use some random-brand albums I bought from a book store. They're tougher, cards don't get dirted or slides on top edges, and only cost half as much ($2.5 for a 160-card album compared to $4.5 for a 180-card ablum). Unfortunately ultra-pro sleeves are a bit too large to put into the slots (you need to handle with great care so that you don't push too hard to damage the cards), and I have to use some really weak sleeves that's a tiny bit smaller for that propose

[Muldoon]

$4.50 for a 180 card ultra pro album?  :o  :o  :o
That is insanity! I checked my local gamestore a few weeks ago, they cost $13-14 each there >:( Sweden sucks! :P
If they costed as little as $4.50 here I'd most likely have my entire collection in them...
EDIT: Anyone know of any online stores carrying them for that price? If I buy enough shipping will sure pay off...

[Charlie]

$4.50 for a 180 card ultra pro album?  :o  :o  :o
That is insanity! I checked my local gamestore a few weeks ago, they cost $13-14 each there >:( Sweden sucks! :P
If they costed as little as $4.50 here I'd most likely have my entire collection in them...
EDIT: Anyone know of any online stores carrying them for that price? If I buy enough shipping will sure pay off...

For 180 I mean the 10-page 9-pocket albums, which has only 90 slots. I count that as 180 since I usually put two cards (front and back) in each slot. It's available at online stores at $3.50  ;D

I think what you mean are the thicker albums with 180 slots. They're tough, but they're heavy, and they tend to get too sticky after putting the cards in for a long time which cause damage when you try to pull out the cards  :-[