thesmith00
10-15-2005, 01:25 PM
Welcome to my first SCF card guide. I hope you find it informative.
NOTE TO MODS: I didn't know really where to put this, so move it as necessary.
Card storage techniques and equipment are essential parts of the collecting world. Especially if you have a huge and/or valuable collection.
Cardboard Boxes- I use these for any common made before 1995. They are organized by team and name only, nothing too elaborate, just so i can find a card I'm looking for when I need it for some reason. These are sold at any card shop or hobby store. There are different card counts, depending on the size of the box. You can usually pick one up for .50 to $2, again, depending on size.
Binders- I use these for any common after 1995. I sort them by team, name, and manufacturer. Slightly more organized than the boxes, slightly more accessible. I have several 2-inch binders full of cards. The binder itself you can pick up at the home/office section of your local Wal-Mart or Target. Then you can make your way over to the trading card section and get the binder sleeves. They generally go for a couple dollars for 20 sheets. They hold 9 cards each, but if you put a card on each side like I do, they can hold 18. I find it better to put 18 in a sheet because it helps keep the cards from falling out so easily.
Penny Sleves- These are small plastic sleeves that hold one card apiece. They are cheap and handy. You can get 100 of them for around a dollar, hence the name. I use these for my inserts. Nothing too valuable, but I wouldn't want to get them destroyed, either. These can work best when combined with the next item on the guide.
Toploaders- I put any GU, Auto, Parallel, or high end insert into these. They're thicker plastic holders, that hold one card, but add the element of protection too. You can buy these at Wal-Mart or Target as well. Generally you can get 25 for a couple dollars. I buy them 60 at a time, for around 7 dollars. They work best when you put the card in a penny sleve, then slide the penny sleve into the toploader. So the card won't move around, and it's still protected. Anything I have in a toploader is also in a penny sleve. Toploaders come in a few different thicknesses. The ones you buy at Wal-Mart tend to be the standard ones. But if you want protection for those thick patch cards, you may have to go to your local card shop. They're called extra-thick toploaders, and run a little more expensive, but they are great at protecting your GU/Patch cards.
Screwdowns/Snap-Ins- I don't use these much. They are great card protectors, and are excellent if you put cards on display. The few cards I do have on display are in screw-downs. Those can be obtained at your local department store as well. They run somewhat expensive for card supplies but they make your cards look great.
Semi-Rigid Card Holders- These are plastic and hold one card. If you plan on sending in your cards to be graded, you'll need some of these. You can get them at a department store, or a hobby/card shop. As far as I know, PSA and BGS require your cards to be sent in these, so make sure you have some before you send them in. Card Saver I is a type of such a holder, and most associate Semi Rigid Card Holder with Card SaverI, so if you wish to buy some from a card shop, ask for a Card Saver I.
Team Bags- These are small plastic holders that fit over multiple toploaded cards. These can be slightly more difficlult to find than the other stuff, so you may need to pick them up at a hobby/card shop. These are great for sales and trades. They keep toploaders all in the same place, so they don't move around and such during the mailing process. They're cheap and convenient. I suggest buying these in addition to any individual card holders you buy.
GETTING CREATIVE W/ CARD STORAGE
So you need a box for your toploaded cards?
WHAT YOU NEED:
Duct Tape
Several panels of corrugated cardboard
Razor Blade (YOU KIDS ASK YOUR PARENTS) I dont wanna get sued lmao
Ruler
This will show you how to make a 9" by 4 1/4" box for your toploaded cards. You can make it longer if you want, I just make it so It's accessible.
The problem with regular storage boxes is that none of them perfectly fit toploaders. So here's teh procedure to make your own toploader storage box. This takes about a half hour.
1. Using your razor blade (for accuracy over scissors) cut 5 pieces of cardboard.
A. 9" long by 4" wide A IS FOR THE BOTTOM
B. 4" long by 3" wide B AND C ARE FOR THE TWO SHORT SIDES
C. 4" long by 3" wide
D. 9" long by 3" wide C AND D ARE FOR THE TWO LONG SIDES
E. 9" long by 3" wide
2. Take your bottom panel and tape it to the two long sides, holding them flat for now. Tape both sides of the seam.
3. Tape the bottom panel, now with the two long sides, to the two short sides. Again, tape both sides of the seam while keeping the whole thing flat.
4. Fold the sides upward, and tape them together, on both the inside and outside.
5. Test it out- Put some toploaders in it.
If you have any suggestions on how to improve on this PM me, and your idea will be added with credit given to you.
So, you're all out of extra thick toploaders?
This will show you how to make your own extra thick toploaders out of your standard size ones. These are often hard to find, especially if you don't have a card shop near you.
You'll Need:
Standard thickness toploaders
Razor Blade (AGAIN, KIDS BE CAREFUL!!)
Thin strips of duct tape
1. Grab 2 toploaders (the first time you do this you may want to try it with used toploaders rather than new ones.)
2. Take the razor blade and use it to cut out the front panel of one of them. Just cut right up against the thick plastic edge of the toploader. CUT AWAY FROM YOURSELF.
3. Do the same thing to another toploader.
4. Use the thin strips of duct tape to tape the two toploaders together. If done well, It holds up to 2 Patch cards, and the duct tape doesn't make it look too bad.
Any suggestions, again, PM me.
That's all i got as far as card storage goes. For you card-collecting beginners, and possibly some of you veterans out there, I hope I have shared with you some knowledge or ideas you didn't know before, and thanks for reading this guide.
NOTE TO MODS: I didn't know really where to put this, so move it as necessary.
Card storage techniques and equipment are essential parts of the collecting world. Especially if you have a huge and/or valuable collection.
Cardboard Boxes- I use these for any common made before 1995. They are organized by team and name only, nothing too elaborate, just so i can find a card I'm looking for when I need it for some reason. These are sold at any card shop or hobby store. There are different card counts, depending on the size of the box. You can usually pick one up for .50 to $2, again, depending on size.
Binders- I use these for any common after 1995. I sort them by team, name, and manufacturer. Slightly more organized than the boxes, slightly more accessible. I have several 2-inch binders full of cards. The binder itself you can pick up at the home/office section of your local Wal-Mart or Target. Then you can make your way over to the trading card section and get the binder sleeves. They generally go for a couple dollars for 20 sheets. They hold 9 cards each, but if you put a card on each side like I do, they can hold 18. I find it better to put 18 in a sheet because it helps keep the cards from falling out so easily.
Penny Sleves- These are small plastic sleeves that hold one card apiece. They are cheap and handy. You can get 100 of them for around a dollar, hence the name. I use these for my inserts. Nothing too valuable, but I wouldn't want to get them destroyed, either. These can work best when combined with the next item on the guide.
Toploaders- I put any GU, Auto, Parallel, or high end insert into these. They're thicker plastic holders, that hold one card, but add the element of protection too. You can buy these at Wal-Mart or Target as well. Generally you can get 25 for a couple dollars. I buy them 60 at a time, for around 7 dollars. They work best when you put the card in a penny sleve, then slide the penny sleve into the toploader. So the card won't move around, and it's still protected. Anything I have in a toploader is also in a penny sleve. Toploaders come in a few different thicknesses. The ones you buy at Wal-Mart tend to be the standard ones. But if you want protection for those thick patch cards, you may have to go to your local card shop. They're called extra-thick toploaders, and run a little more expensive, but they are great at protecting your GU/Patch cards.
Screwdowns/Snap-Ins- I don't use these much. They are great card protectors, and are excellent if you put cards on display. The few cards I do have on display are in screw-downs. Those can be obtained at your local department store as well. They run somewhat expensive for card supplies but they make your cards look great.
Semi-Rigid Card Holders- These are plastic and hold one card. If you plan on sending in your cards to be graded, you'll need some of these. You can get them at a department store, or a hobby/card shop. As far as I know, PSA and BGS require your cards to be sent in these, so make sure you have some before you send them in. Card Saver I is a type of such a holder, and most associate Semi Rigid Card Holder with Card SaverI, so if you wish to buy some from a card shop, ask for a Card Saver I.
Team Bags- These are small plastic holders that fit over multiple toploaded cards. These can be slightly more difficlult to find than the other stuff, so you may need to pick them up at a hobby/card shop. These are great for sales and trades. They keep toploaders all in the same place, so they don't move around and such during the mailing process. They're cheap and convenient. I suggest buying these in addition to any individual card holders you buy.
GETTING CREATIVE W/ CARD STORAGE
So you need a box for your toploaded cards?
WHAT YOU NEED:
Duct Tape
Several panels of corrugated cardboard
Razor Blade (YOU KIDS ASK YOUR PARENTS) I dont wanna get sued lmao
Ruler
This will show you how to make a 9" by 4 1/4" box for your toploaded cards. You can make it longer if you want, I just make it so It's accessible.
The problem with regular storage boxes is that none of them perfectly fit toploaders. So here's teh procedure to make your own toploader storage box. This takes about a half hour.
1. Using your razor blade (for accuracy over scissors) cut 5 pieces of cardboard.
A. 9" long by 4" wide A IS FOR THE BOTTOM
B. 4" long by 3" wide B AND C ARE FOR THE TWO SHORT SIDES
C. 4" long by 3" wide
D. 9" long by 3" wide C AND D ARE FOR THE TWO LONG SIDES
E. 9" long by 3" wide
2. Take your bottom panel and tape it to the two long sides, holding them flat for now. Tape both sides of the seam.
3. Tape the bottom panel, now with the two long sides, to the two short sides. Again, tape both sides of the seam while keeping the whole thing flat.
4. Fold the sides upward, and tape them together, on both the inside and outside.
5. Test it out- Put some toploaders in it.
If you have any suggestions on how to improve on this PM me, and your idea will be added with credit given to you.
So, you're all out of extra thick toploaders?
This will show you how to make your own extra thick toploaders out of your standard size ones. These are often hard to find, especially if you don't have a card shop near you.
You'll Need:
Standard thickness toploaders
Razor Blade (AGAIN, KIDS BE CAREFUL!!)
Thin strips of duct tape
1. Grab 2 toploaders (the first time you do this you may want to try it with used toploaders rather than new ones.)
2. Take the razor blade and use it to cut out the front panel of one of them. Just cut right up against the thick plastic edge of the toploader. CUT AWAY FROM YOURSELF.
3. Do the same thing to another toploader.
4. Use the thin strips of duct tape to tape the two toploaders together. If done well, It holds up to 2 Patch cards, and the duct tape doesn't make it look too bad.
Any suggestions, again, PM me.
That's all i got as far as card storage goes. For you card-collecting beginners, and possibly some of you veterans out there, I hope I have shared with you some knowledge or ideas you didn't know before, and thanks for reading this guide.