How do you store...

[Clemson2012]

No; right now, I have about 500-600 cards per full binder. The trick is to not get a super huge binder, where the pages bend. 2-3" binders seem to work fine for me. I've had my '74 Topps set (580 cards at the moment) in a binder for close to 20 years, with no issues.

Cool I might switch to binders. When I was putting the 2011 bowman platinum set together I had them in a binder but took them out bc I didnt want them to get bent especially the row closest to the rings and with bryce harper being #1 in the prospect set I def didnt want that one getting bent.

[Clemson2012]

I use toploaders and penny sleeves for my PC autos/GUs and the like, but one insight I can offer is to put the card upside down into the penny sleeve, and then right side up in the top loader, so the bottom of the penny sleeve is pointing up in the toploader, preventing even more dust and the like from getting in. Sometimes it's a little tricky because the sleeve will bunch up as you slide it into the top loader, but once it's in, it works great

Very cool trick with the penny sleeves and toploaders. Never thought of that. What do you store them in once they are in toploaders? Shoe box, A 2-5 row count box, etc.? Thanks for all the info from everyone so far. If anyone has any pictures I would love to see them. Thanks

[Hollywood42]

After they're in the toploaders, I just put them into the cardboard 3 or 5 row boxes. I only use binders for some of my sets I build that I really like. No knock on binders at all since they work fine for normal cards, that's just my preference with my collection

Very cool trick with the penny sleeves and toploaders. Never thought of that. What do you store them in once they are in toploaders? Shoe box, A 2-5 row count box, etc.? Thanks for all the info from everyone so far. If anyone has any pictures I would love to see them. Thanks

[Clemson2012]

Yeah I like the toploaders bc I dont have to take a whole book out just to look at one card but the binders are easier if your wanting to look at all cards. But if I just want to show a friend a card or couple of cards I dont have to take it out of the binder and worry about it getting damaged or anything like that.

[the 'stache]

I've done quite a bit of research on this very subject for the last year or so. I'm in the process of completely revamping how I store my cards.


Sets: 3" D-ring binders from Ultra Pro. Foam padded, plain black case with a display sleeve on the spine for set identification. Link
For the pages themselves, I would never use anything but the Ultra Pro Platinum Series 9 pocket sleeves. Best price on Amazon is 100 pages for $16.50 + shipping (free shipping if Amazon Prime). link

Non PC or moderate value cards: stored in Ultra Pro penny sleeves and top loaders. Grouped by set, and alphabetically within 800 count boxes.

All my Bowman Chrome autographed prospect cards, PC cards and higher valued cards are stored in Ultra Pro one touch magnets, with the cases wrapped in graded team bags.

PSA, SGC and Beckett graded cards are stored in chipboard graded card storage trays (think of old MJ Roop). Very nice! link
If you're looking for the old 4-row boxes, A Box Factory offers those as well: link

Those and my graded cards will be stored in a fire/water proof safe. I'm researching safes now. Collection is insured through State Farm, and my super expensive cards will likely be moved to a safe deposit box at my bank.

[amazingheroes]

My whole John Olerud collection fits into a 6 foot showcase.
Cards are in 5 binders and thick cards are in toploads in a 3 row super shoebox.
His high school & College yearbooks are displayed on the bottom shelf along with the 2 uniform pieces I have.
I use the no longer being made ultra pro card protectors on each card before putting them into each binder page.
In the binders I have the cards in year order and alphabetical order within each year.

Steve
Amazing Heroes
Union NJ 07083

My year sets are also in binders but I store the binders on there side with the ring on top so the pages hang rather then pull down from one side.

[Clemson2012]

I've done quite a bit of research on this very subject for the last year or so. I'm in the process of completely revamping how I store my cards.


Sets: 3" D-ring binders from Ultra Pro. Foam padded, plain black case with a display sleeve on the spine for set identification. Link
For the pages themselves, I would never use anything but the Ultra Pro Platinum Series 9 pocket sleeves. Best price on Amazon is 100 pages for $16.50 + shipping (free shipping if Amazon Prime). link

Non PC or moderate value cards: stored in Ultra Pro penny sleeves and top loaders. Grouped by set, and alphabetically within 800 count boxes.

All my Bowman Chrome autographed prospect cards, PC cards and higher valued cards are stored in Ultra Pro one touch magnets, with the cases wrapped in graded team bags.

PSA, SGC and Beckett graded cards are stored in chipboard graded card storage trays (think of old MJ Roop). Very nice! link
If you're looking for the old 4-row boxes, A Box Factory offers those as well: link

Those and my graded cards will be stored in a fire/water proof safe. I'm researching safes now. Collection is insured through State Farm, and my super expensive cards will likely be moved to a safe deposit box at my bank.

Very good info. How do you have it insured through State Farm? I might be interested in doing this for my PC.

[Redman5006]

Every card goes in a soft sleeve and toploader (regardless of value) and then into a three row box in alphabetical order.

[the 'stache]

Very good info. How do you have it insured through State Farm? I might be interested in doing this for my PC.

Hey Clemson2012,

There are different options. I did mine initially through my renters insurance for my apartment. When I first went in, I was asked for the broad dollar value of the items I was insuring. At the time, I'd just started collecting again, so it was fairly easy to itemize. Now that my collection is more substantial, I'm going through and scanning all my valuable cards, and creating a master list of what I have (and their values). Then I'll talk with my agent, and adjust the coverage based off of the value I arrive at.

You don't have to use State Farm. There are actually companies that provide specific insurance for collectibles, and there's one I know of specifically for baseball cards (though their name escapes me at the moment).

As long as you have good documentation of your collection, should something happen, you would be covered. Of course, there's no way to replace a 1 of 1, or a card that holds personal significance. That's why I am looking at the fire safe. The insurance is there to cover value, but the cards I've bought have taken me a long time to acquire. I don't just buy a card for the sake of owning it. I spend a lot of time looking at Ebay, comc.com, or here, and if I'm looking for a specific card, I will make sure to buy one that meets my standards. I've spent a lot of time in Photoshop zooming in on the card, measuring borders, etc. :)

[xpucksx]

Lots of great info here. Can we sticky this thread?

Another hint I do with my binders is to store them laying flat rather than standing upright. This will prevent the weight of the pages from pushing down on the bottom row of cards. If I have to store book-on-book, I off set the diagonal of the binders by laying the rings opposite each other to make it a "square".

I keep all of my sets in the Ultra-Pro binders: sets are by card number; inserts in the back after the base cards
all of my PC's in smaller binders as they need, and extras and doubles in the four-slot card boxes. Extra sets are stored per set in the single full boxes or half boxes.

I keep my valuable singles (anything over $20) in the magnetic (for new ones) or screw down (for the ones that were already in screw-downs) cases. My moderate value and "value-in-flux" cards are in the top loaders. These are all in a separate Converse Chuck Taylor box since it accommodates the extra size (and Chucks are the other thing I collect so I always have those boxes laying around)

The whole collection has been in a dark cedar closet in my parents house, waiting for a permanent home when I can make the room in my house.