Protection Against Light - Auto'd Cards (Light Bulb Question)

[Maggot]

Hi everyone. In my office I have a wall-mounted display case with my highest end stuff. Its glass is UV protected, and all cards inside it are in uv-protected one-touches. Additionally, the window in my office is essentially sealed off.

With all of that in mind, my question is about light bulbs. Does anyone know enough on the subject to advise whether or not I should be concerned about the light bulb chosen for this room? If so, is there a certain light-type that reduces risk of auto-fading. I do know that with the millions of LED bulbs out there these days, you can essentially choose exactly which spectrum your light emits - so which one is right for cards?

[camsue]

I had several autographed baseballs photos and cards on display for over 20 years in a shared office that had 24/7 light and they were protected as your collection and only ever had very minor fading

[Savard18]

Hi everyone. In my office I have a wall-mounted display case with my highest end stuff. Its glass is UV protected, and all cards inside it are in uv-protected one-touches. Additionally, the window in my office is essentially sealed off.

With all of that in mind, my question is about light bulbs. Does anyone know enough on the subject to advise whether or not I should be concerned about the light bulb chosen for this room? If so, is there a certain light-type that reduces risk of auto-fading. I do know that with the millions of LED bulbs out there these days, you can essentially choose exactly which spectrum your light emits - so which one is right for cards?

I used to work in a card shop, and I can tell you this much - those long fluorescent light bulbs they used in those display cases were NOT good for cards - at all - and obviously neither is the sun... It was kinda funny because when I was working at the card shop you could literally tell just how long a card has been sitting in the display case by just how faded they were, lol.... And the terrible thing is that the owner had a bunch of high-end vintage cards that he was asking WAY too much for, so they sat there in the case for years and the sun would shine on them for 5 hours a day and the rest of the time they were under that fluorescent light and even the top loaders they were in started changing color. I remember one time taking a card out of the case and trying to take it out of the top loader and the top loader just snapped - it was embarrassing, lol.... I actually have a few top loaders around here I can use as examples to show collectors what light does to a normal top loader, lol..

LED lights are fine, as long as you keep your cards out of the sun you should have no problems at all... As for me, I keep my high-end cards in team set bags just for added protection. Just so they don't get all scratched up and keep moisture out.

Anyway it would be awesome to see a pic of your display..

[scarrman]

UV is a tricky subject, but think of plastics and UV coating for glass like sunglasses. You can buy a $5 pair of UV blocking sunglasses at any gas station, do they block UV - sure, do they block the "harmful" UV, probably not. Then you can step up in the quality and coating of a pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes, but the $$ go up accordingly.

There are wavelengths in the UV spectrum that do cause degradation in plastics, certain dyes, and even eyes - this is what screws with your cards. Those wavelengths go right through uncoated glass (think of an old car's dashboard or seats all cracked and faded), and go through most plastics. UV coating on glass, different levels are available, UV transmission of plastics, different levels are available. Then throw in the quality of your plastic sleeves, pages, top loaders, mag holders, etc and some do not stand up like higher quality product. There are grades of glass and acrylic (Plexiglas) that they use in museums to protect artifacts, that absorb UV light so it does not damage what is underneath - of course in combination with different lighting. There are coatings they use in bulbs to reduce UV, and LED is supposed to transmit less UV than fluorescent but LED does still transmit some UV.

Those wavelengths will fade cards, especially older cards made without UV coatings that are on today's cards. They especially will hammer any autograph, that non protected Sharpie scribbled on top of the UV layer - that will fade first. I have seen cards in a glass display, even in a plastic holder, that the auto is completely faded to look as if the card was never signed. Personally I would not display my cards in direct sunlight, or direct overhead lighting, simply too much risk. In a basement, darker, lights aren't on for long, sure, but not in a well lit room or office. I have signed jerseys I had framed, I paid extra to have UV absorbing acrylic used instead of glass, the museum grade, overkill - sure, protecting the autograph and fabric - heck yeah.

Back to the original question, in an office, lights on 9 hours + per day, that's a lot of exposure to UV from those lights. LED lights, they should be safer, but again the quality, coating, can vary. The UV protected glass combined with the one-touches will add protection, but sometimes it's that damaging layer of wavelengths that gets through, and you won't notice until a couple years too late and your cards and autos are starting to fade. May not happen at all, but for me it would be too much risk.

[Savard18]

UV is a tricky subject, but think of plastics and UV coating for glass like sunglasses. You can buy a $5 pair of UV blocking sunglasses at any gas station, do they block UV - sure, do they block the "harmful" UV, probably not. Then you can step up in the quality and coating of a pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes, but the $$ go up accordingly.

There are wavelengths in the UV spectrum that do cause degradation in plastics, certain dyes, and even eyes - this is what screws with your cards. Those wavelengths go right through uncoated glass (think of an old car's dashboard or seats all cracked and faded), and go through most plastics. UV coating on glass, different levels are available, UV transmission of plastics, different levels are available. Then throw in the quality of your plastic sleeves, pages, top loaders, mag holders, etc and some do not stand up like higher quality product. There are grades of glass and acrylic (Plexiglas) that they use in museums to protect artifacts, that absorb UV light so it does not damage what is underneath - of course in combination with different lighting. There are coatings they use in bulbs to reduce UV, and LED is supposed to transmit less UV than fluorescent but LED does still transmit some UV.

Those wavelengths will fade cards, especially older cards made without UV coatings that are on today's cards. They especially will hammer any autograph, that non protected Sharpie scribbled on top of the UV layer - that will fade first. I have seen cards in a glass display, even in a plastic holder, that the auto is completely faded to look as if the card was never signed. Personally I would not display my cards in direct sunlight, or direct overhead lighting, simply too much risk. In a basement, darker, lights aren't on for long, sure, but not in a well lit room or office. I have signed jerseys I had framed, I paid extra to have UV absorbing acrylic used instead of glass, the museum grade, overkill - sure, protecting the autograph and fabric - heck yeah.

Back to the original question, in an office, lights on 9 hours + per day, that's a lot of exposure to UV from those lights. LED lights, they should be safer, but again the quality, coating, can vary. The UV protected glass combined with the one-touches will add protection, but sometimes it's that damaging layer of wavelengths that gets through, and you won't notice until a couple years too late and your cards and autos are starting to fade. May not happen at all, but for me it would be too much risk.

I wish there was an up-vote so I could give you one because you nailed it....

Not only that but cards fade so slowly that the owners/collectors are oblivious to the fact their cards are essentially getting bleached...