Storing cards in an album? Need advice..

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Posted By: Silver King

I started collecting pre-1920 cards over the past several months and my collection is now 100+ of various cards in all shapes, ages and sizes. I have a number of smaller cards such as N172's and larger cards such as N173 cabinets. Up until now all the cards have been placed in a drawer but I would really like to put them in something like a photo album so that I can see and appreciate them a bit more..not to mention putting them in some kind of order. Back in the 70's I used to put all my cards in plastic sleeves, is this still the case or is there something else out there that I should know about? I guess my biggest concern is preserving the cards (other than slabbing) and still being able to see them. What does everybody else do?

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Posted By: leon

I use top loaders with sleeves...they are made for all size cards and do quite well....They can be found on ebay all of the time....

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Posted By: Mike

As Leon says, always use a sleeve with your top loader. For all the obvious reasons. Top loaders work very nicely.

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Posted By: Jason L

Because you never know where that top loader has been, and then all of a sudden you find yourself at a clinic being told by a nurse that you have essentially stored your card with every other card that has been with that top loader!

very embarrassing.

Best of Luck!

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Posted By: Anonymous

You mentioned an album. I find that the UltraPro 15-pocket pages are too tight. But I think the Nostalgia brand from England has a little bit more room. Plus they come in 10-pocket pages so they fir the 50-card sets very nicely.

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Posted By: Zach Rice

I'd suggest investing in a nice binder from murraycards.com. I use the "nostalgia" binders and find them to be great. They make sheets to fit any cards I want (including cabinet sized cards) and the binder itself is very high quality and comes with its own slipcase.

Take a look at the link below to check out the nostalgia binders.

http://www.murraycards.com/accessories/nostalgia.aspx

Many people think they will damage their cards if they use a binder, whether it is from inserting them into the page or flipping the page; I have never damaged a card and don't consider myself to be the most careful of people.

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Posted By: Brian Collie

I've always found sleeves to be more trouble than they're worth and am always afraid I'll damage the card trying to squeeze it into a top loader with sleeve. Am I missing something? Why use sleeves - just to stop the card from moving around???

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Posted By: leon

Yes.

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Posted By: Mike

It keeps it from moving around, or sliding out, but it also protects it should any moisture some how get on the loader, and it also keeps dirt particles from making dents, or impressions on the card as it tightens down. Not likely that anything large enough to press marks, or impressions or holes in the card as it tightens down, but hey, why take any chances. In 18 years, I have never had one problem with a sleeve. I still use them occasionally for odd balls. The other day I was walking up in my balcony and accidently dropped two cards, two stories down. Thanks to PSA, they landed all by themselves, and never had a scratch or dent. Whew.....If they'd been raw, maybe they would have gently glided to the floor with no damage done. But....somehow I doubt it.

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Posted By: Ray Piskadlo

Zach,

Thanks for posting that! I have been quietly looking for something like that for a while now... since MJ Roop is gone. Muchas gracias (it's almost Cinco de Mayo!)

-Ray Piskadlo

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Posted By: Dave Hornish

Another way is to take the "loaded" top-loaders and then put them into 4 pocket pages (the ones for Postcards). I do that with a lot of my Topps test issues as you get the extra protection but it works for anything that fits a top loader.