Storing Vintage Question

[HittinLikeCarew]

So been out of the hobby for almost 40yrs. I’m really enjoying getting back into collecting and have a question. What is the best way to keep vintage cards? I like penny sleeves for a bit of protection but have seen a few cards get small cuts on the edge (user error?). Also what about set building? Binders, or cardboard boxes?
Thanks!

[donmuth]

There are some new penny sleeves with one top corner nipped off that help save some corner dings. Or you can use scissors and cut them along the seam on one corner. I haven't used them for long, but they really do help.

I use a variety of storage methods though.

I have my 1940s-1970s sets (most of them in progress) in binders. I put the stars, HOFers, key RCs in penny sleeves in top loaders in a wooden card storage box in the safe.
My T206s are all in T206 size penny sleeves inside T206 sized top loaders in the safe.
The very few graded vintage cards I have are also in a wooden card storage box in the safe.
I have vintage dupes in card savers in an open top wooden box that I had made for cards when I was a kid. I organize them by year and card # where I can find them easily for trading. You could do the same using the card shoe boxes though.
I have my newer bulk commons in cardboard card storage boxes of various sizes organized by year and set (and sometimes card # too).
Finally, I have binders for newer or lower value cards of HOFers, stars, or other players I collect. These are organized alphabetically right now, but I am thinking of swapping it up and making a binder for HOF/star catchers, a binder or three for star/HOF pitchers, another few for OF's and IF's, etc.

Good luck on getting back into the hobby!

[HittinLikeCarew]

That’s super helpful! Thanks!

One follow up question. I learned in my failed experiment of collecting modern football, to penny sleeve before putting in card savers or binders bc of the chrome finish. Is that necessary w vintage? I’ve noticed that Greg Morris ships them just in card saver

[donmuth]

I put all of my more valuable vintage cards in penny sleeves before they go into top loaders, but almost all of my vintage commons go directly into binder pages or card savers. I think it just depends on how much work you want to put into it.

[HittinLikeCarew]

That makes sense. Yeah, so I started trying to upgrade a couple of sets I had as a kid as well as building some just out of fun (82-86). I’ve put them in penny sleeves and storing them in a large box that allow them to stand up straight (holds about 5 sets). Been working on a 76 set now. I think my ocd w condition is gonna cost me a fortune! Ouch!

I started w a binder but couldn’t dial in the right size and then worried about where to store them.

Thanks again for the responses!

[irv]

Almost every card I own are in sleeves and top loaders. The only cards I have in card savers or slabs are the ones that came like that from the sellers.
When I first inherited my 52 Topps cards 35 yrs ago, I was unaware of sleeves (if they even existed back then?) so all were just placed in top loaders, but I have no doubts whatsoever that I damaged some by doing that.

My most valuable cards are kept in my safety deposit box and the others are placed in a case I was lucky enough to acquire some years ago.
My hockey cards are currently just placed in shoe boxes but I hope to change that some day and put them in binders.

[Volod]

Originally Posted by HittinLikeCarew

That’s super helpful! Thanks!

One follow up question. I learned in my failed experiment of collecting modern football, to penny sleeve before putting in card savers or binders bc of the chrome finish. Is that necessary w vintage? I’ve noticed that Greg Morris ships them just in card saver

If I could add one cautionary note - be careful when storing cards upright in a box if the cards are in soft sleeves of any kind. Years ago, I opened a shoebox in which I had stored 1953 Topps and Bowman cards upright in polyester (mylar) sleeves and found to my horror that most of them had developed a spinal curvature after just a few years. I immediately transferred both sets to boxes in which they could lie sideways in a much tighter arrangement that would not allow gravity to affect them. Of course, the alternate storage method of hard sleeves, such as top-loaders and cardsavers would obviate any concern about card bending.

[jchcollins]

Card savers are easiest for me. I like toploaders, but putting too many cards in penny sleeves gives me a headache. I usually slab the more valuable stuff eventually, and also have some in One Touch mags.

As an adult collector for whatever reason (probably because I'm mostly a HOF singles guy...) I've never been able to get back into the pages and albums I used as a kid. I like being able to flip thru the stacks of individual cards.

[HittinLikeCarew]

That makes a lot of sense. I’ll play around w it. It does seem that a std topps set (792 cards) fit pretty snug in an 800ct box. But def see your point.