O/T: Some concerns about storing cards in a safes...
 

I've scoured a few past threads and can't find any answers.... please help with some insight and/or opinions.

I just purchased a safe (24 rifle capacity + 2 shelves, fire & water proof) and I was contemplating on storing a few coins and cards inside. I have moved the safe to my workshop where there is no temperature control. Since I live here in central TX and we're on a hot streak with +100 degree days, should I be concerned about high temperatures within the safe ruining the cards? Most of the cards are are not valuable but strictly sentimental; however, I have a few older T206s (raw) I would like to store as well. Any concerns? Thanks, Mike

I think the bigger problem in storing paper/cards is humidity levels since they will be confined in an airtight space. You can purchase specially designed reusable pellets that remove the moisture from the safe. When it turns a certain color you can then heat them in the oven to dry them out so they can be used again. These can be purchased from gun shops where safes are sold.

Yup! Humidity is the biggest danger..
 

Outside of theft, humidity is the biggest danger to cards. Although all normal matter particles are radiating away, the immediate threat is humidity. Also cool is better than hot to fight deterioration. The silica packs are excellent to eliminate excess humidity.
About 10 years ago I bought a childhood collection that had been stored in a "grain silo"? Cool and Dry.......The cards were absolutely pack fresh after almost 50 years. They were in shoeboxes in an open steel drum. A mouse had fallen in and it was actually mummified.
If you check on some paper conservation sites, other tips might be out there. Good question. David. ps Just an afterthought....If a TPG company has air tight slabs that would take care of the humidity concern, yes?

Good points! Thanks guys.

Airtight slabs would take care of humidity as long as the air was removed. Otherwise the ambient humidity could condense at lower temperatures. Then there's the outgasing of acidic papers.... Vented slabs are better.

I think the stated best environment for paper and most other things is 50F, 50% humidity. Library of congress has a good section online about archival storage of nearly anything. That being said, there are many examples out there of stuff surviving very well in storage that archivists would cringe over. A group of Edison films was discovered in Texas, Nitrate film from the 1890's that was stored in the closet of an un airconditioned house. Some of the ones found are the best kown surviving examples.

Heat would be bad for the acidic cards long term, I think T206s would be fine, but strip cards probably wouldn't.

I'd love to see the a TPG slab a few types of cards along with a test strip to see if the acidity builds up over time.

Steve B

Along a similar note, would there be humidity concerns if cards (whether slabbed or not) are stored in a safe deposit box?

Scott,

My old man has had about 200 cards in the safe deposit box now for about 30years with no problems. They are stored in those soft, plastic, sheet protectors that hold 9 cards per sheet... nothing fancy.

Yes, I would think the banks are climate controlled, so humidity wouldn't be a problem in a safe deposit box.

Safes
 

This is a link to a thread last year, not sure if it helps you guys or not:

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthr...ighlight=Safes

Ralph, thanks for the link. I think I'm going to place a thermometer in my safe and check it during the hottest part of the day to see what the actual temp is inside. The high here yesterday was 106 and there was an obvious change in the temp when I opened the safe around 6 pm.

I don't know what the prolonged temperature has to be to start damaging cards, paper documents, etc. but I need to do some additional research before I find out the hard way. Thanks guys for your input thus far. -Mike

I wouldn't worry too much. T206s are a hundred years old and survived even when faced with the hands of children.