Plastics used to slab cards

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Posted By: Tim James

Hey guys !
It's been a while since I've posted, or responded to threads. I'm out of town allot, but I keep an eye on the board as much as I can.
In the past, most of my responses are on topics of conservation framing and preservation. With the recent news of certain plastics having health concerns, water bottles, etc., I was wondering if any of the grading companies have addressed the issue of what types of plastics, and preservation qualities of which they use. I take care of my collection, but have never submitted any cards for grading. Thanks for any responses to this issue.

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Posted By: davidcycleback

I asked your question to my dad, who is a Professor Emeritus of Chemical and Biological Engineering and member of the National Academy of Engineering. He said that you would have no health worries from plastic holders sitting around your house. Plastic bottle issues come from people regularly drinking directly from the plastic, not the bottles sitting in the kitchen closet or the shelf.

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Posted By: Tim James

Thanks David,
I wouldn't plan on licking a slabbed card, I just wonder if certain plastics could have a detrimental effect over time to the card itself. The issue at hand is that the plastics used for drinking aren't inert. I work with plastic products on a daily basis, and there are "gassing" issues with some, especially ones that involve heating. It just makes me wonder if there could be adverse effects on our precious "old cardboard".

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Posted By: Matt

With the exception of Beckett, to the best of my knowledge, no other major grading company incorporates UV protection into their plastic slabs.

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Posted By: Tim James

Hey Matt,
That was going to be my next point, if nobody brought it up. I'm a professional picture framer, and in our industry, there are differing grades of glass that reflect UV rays. I'm curious of what happens inside a slab after it is sealed. If there is an issue within a slabbed card, it would take years to see with the naked eye. Unless it is sealed in an air tight way, who knows. Even if that is the case, certain plastics can gas over time if the environment in which they are kept doesn't have radical temperature changes.

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Posted By: boxingcardman

Cards in SGC and PSA slabs will fry in the sun or under UV lights. I've seen quite a few that have lost their luster from being placed on display.

I've also purchased cards in old top loaders that are bright yellow with age from the "ert" plastics. The cards were just fine when taken out of the nasty old holders, so I wonder whether the unstable plastics issue is a realistic one.

Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc

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Posted By: boxingcardman

repeated it

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Posted By: Tim James

In modern and early printing, any print even with UV protection, magenta is the first color to go, but it will still fade just more slowly. Museum conservators keep direct light off artwork, and in my opinion, cards should be treated the same way. The key is the type of plastic that is used. Just remember, every plastic is a petroleum product, and heat will always be a factor, and is a catalyst for the degradation of the product over time. Heat can also cause the plastic to gas. I've seen a number of slabbed cards with what seems to be loose plastic outside the boundary of the card. Am I mistaken in this observation ?

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Posted By: Rick McQuillan

Tim,
I have licked the slabs of all of the major grading companies. PSA tastes the best. Excuse me- my vision is getting blurred. I think it is from the plastic residue.

Rick

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Posted By: Tim James

Hey Rick,
You better watch out, this could quickly turn into the dreaded " which grader is the best" thread !

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Posted By: davidcycleback

Duly note that my dad answered the question assuming collectors never handle slabs with their bare hands or, God forbid, crack them open.

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Posted By: Tim James

So, the next question is; What is the half life of a standard slab ? Will our cards be trampled on by Cher, and roaches after Armageddon ?

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Posted By: Tim James

OK,
Seriously, slabbed cards look to to me that the framed part is a product called PETG. What's outside the frame is what could be a different kind of plastic. This would keep the card flat,and secure, but the space that goes to the seal looks like there is air in there.

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Posted By: Mark Anderson

Can't speak for other companies, but at Beckett, we contacted archivists at the Library of Congress when deciding upon materials. For paper, they recommended polypropylene and polystyrene, which is what we use, with some UV additive.

Mylar was their other recommendation; however the disadvantage of mylar is that is it hard and can scratch or cut whatever is inserted into it (polypro is very soft). I also can't stand it because it tends to be very crinkly and easy to crease and mark up.

We also have engineering tests that additionally state that polypro is totally inert, acid free, and has no oils/softeners/plasticizers. It is the most stable material and does not deteriorate under normal conditions.

Now, keeping that in mind, slabbed cards are not guaranteed to withstand everything. It is safest to store them in a climate-controlled area out of direct harsh lighting. UV slabs will help protect against fading, but if you sit a slabbed card in the sun for a few years, I would imagine that it might still experience some level of fading.

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Posted By: Scott Levy

Leon/Board,

Can we get the same type of reply that Marc gave us from SGC or PSA?

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Posted By: TFerg

SGC uses an impact grade of polystyrene, as does PSA.

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Posted By: Mark Anderson

My guess is that all major companies use polystyrene.

I should clarify, polystyrene is for the slabs, and polypropylene is for our inner sleeves. Neither polypro nor mylar, in my experience, can be used for the thicker plastics needed for the slabs.

I believe the little "sleeves" PSA uses on occasion are mylar. I'm not sure what SGC's black inserts are made of - perhaps Glyn will post.

Mark

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Posted By: Tim James

I just got back from Chicago, and I was glad to see some more informative responses.