The short answer
A trading card needs two layers of protection: a soft sleeve sitting directly against the card, and a rigid holder over it. The sleeve prevents scratches, the holder prevents creases. For everyday cards a penny sleeve plus a toploader is enough; for valuable cards you use a perfect fit sleeve, a normal sleeve over that, and then a magnetic holder. Four things are dangerous in storage: light, moisture, temperature swings and pressure. So cards belong upright in a box, in a dry indoor room, away from the window and away from the radiator. And the most common damage happens, of all moments, while sliding the card in, when a corner catches on the edge of the holder.
The levels of protection
Penny sleeve
The thin, soft sleeve. It costs almost nothing and is the basic kit. It protects against scratches and finger grease, but not against creases. Look for acid-free material without plasticisers.
Perfect fit
A tighter sleeve that wraps the card with almost no play. On valuable cards it goes under the normal sleeve, so the card doesn't shift inside the holder. Collectors call this combination a double sleeve.
Toploader
The rigid plastic holder the sleeved card slides into. It prevents creases. Important: the toploader is open, the card stays accessible at the top. Taping it shut ruins the card when you open it. Put a team bag over it instead.
Magnetic holder
The holder with a magnetic closure that opens without tools. It looks better, protects better and costs more. The right choice for the best cards in a collection. It comes in different thicknesses, measured in pt. A normal card needs 35 pt, thicker memorabilia cards correspondingly more.
Grading slab
If a card has been graded it is already sealed. It needs no more protection, only proper storage. When that is worth doing is covered in our guide Grading explained.
The most common mistake happens on the way in
More cards are damaged sliding into a toploader than by anything else. The corner catches the edge, bends slightly, and the grade is gone.
Here is how to do it: card into the sleeve first, holding the sleeve slightly open and guiding the card in straight rather than pushing it. Then the sleeve with the card into the toploader, again straight and without force. If it snags, don't press, start again.
Always put the sleeve into the holder open side down, then the card can't fall out and less dust gets in.
The four enemies
Light. UV bleaches colours. Red and yellow go first. Cards do not belong on a shelf opposite the window.
Moisture. Cards are cardboard. They draw in moisture and warp. Which is why they don't belong in a cellar or a loft, not even briefly.
Temperature swings. Where temperature fluctuates, humidity fluctuates too. An evenly heated indoor room is better than a cool one that swings.
Pressure. Stacking cards flat on top of each other creates dents, especially on the ones at the bottom. Which is why you store them upright in a box, not lying in a stack.
Binder or box
Binders with clear pages are convenient, but treat them with care. Cheap pages contain plasticisers that migrate into the card surface over the years and dull it. If you do use a binder, use explicitly acid-free and plasticiser-free pages.
For anything that matters to you, a storage box is the better choice: cards upright, with a little room so nothing jams, and without the front ones tipping over.
What you shouldn't do
Don't clean cards. No cloth, no eraser, no cleaning product. A grader spots every kind of reworking, and it costs you the grade.
Don't weigh down a warped card to flatten it. That creates dents and counts as reworking too.
Don't touch cards on the image, hold them by the edge. Finger grease is permanently visible on glossy surfaces.
Why all of this matters at sale time is covered in our guide Selling trading cards.
How your packs arrive
Our Mystery Packs come in the original Mystery Packs packaging with a resealable closure, so you can keep using it for storage after opening. For the individual cards we still recommend a sleeve and a holder, especially for the autograph and memorabilia cards. What is guaranteed in which pack is explained in Autograph card or jersey piece.
Pick a pack
Eight editions, each for football and basketball, from €69.99 – from the Mystery Pack to One of One. Every pack contains a guaranteed hit with a certificate of authenticity.
Frequently asked questions
How many pt does my toploader need?
A normal card fits in 35 pt. Memorabilia cards with embedded material are thicker, so you need 55 pt or more. If the card jams in the holder, it is too thin.
Are team bags necessary?
They aren't essential, but they keep dust out and stop the card sliding out of the toploader. Cheap and sensible.
What do I do with a card that has already warped?
Ideally nothing. Put it sleeved into a holder and store it somewhere stable. Attempts to flatten it usually make the condition worse.
Can I store cards in a box in the loft?
Better not. That is where temperature and humidity swing the most. A cupboard in the living area is considerably better.
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