Are Semi-Rigid Card Holders Always Such a Pain?!
cb42
Posts: 34 ✭✭
So I went to the local card shop and bought some Ultra Pro Semi Rigid Card Holders thinking I'm going to get some cards graded. Good grief, I can barely get a card with penny sleeve in these things. I insert the penny sleeve and it goes in sort of okay until there's about a half inch left, then it's a royal pain. I'm afraid to put any of my good cards in these things for fear of damaging them. :-) What's the trick to this?
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I don't use penny sleeves.
Do you send your cards to PSA? Their instructions say to use penny sleeves, which is why I was using them.
i have sent many -- but i have not sent them to psa in a year and a half. If they tell you its required then I guess I would do it. I agree it's tough.
Ultra Pro in my experience are too tight. I Prefer Cardboard Gold Card Savers with Cardshellz notched sleeves. https://www.cardshellz.com/pages/easy-glide-soft-sleeves
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
I hate all card savers, imo they are but a necessary evil when subbing. I recommend sticking 3-4 trash cards in them for a day or 2 before to have them loosen up for the final product.
Try opening the inside of the semi rigid with your fingers first, make more space at the bottom. Also, make sure the card is centered in the holder when you push down.
Are those Cardboard Gold Card Savers good for PSA submissions? Looks like it.
I like those notched penny sleeves. That's another thing---getting cards into penny sleeves without accidentally dinging a corner. I'm going to try these. I saw one guy who purposely flicks one corner of a penny sleeve with his finger until the upper seam comes apart.
odd...I have put many thousands of cards in penny sleeves into Card Saver I holders over the years and have no issues
It may be my klutziness. That's why I asked!
Same. But I'm getting old with shaky hands. Never drink coffee before sleeving. House rules.
Bundalay, sahvay.
Maybe you are just one of the lucky ones. I have had problems a ew times over the years.
I cut the top of the plastic tab off so I can push the card further in with my fingers.
https://kennerstartinglineup.blogspot.com/
Thanks for all your comments. A few other newbie questions: Does PSA remove the card from the semi rigid holder when they grade it? I read that they actually cut the semi rigid holder to remove the card. I guess they do this to encase the card in the PSA slab. Is that correct?
Do any of you use semi rigids for general storage of your cards? That is, for cards that aren't graded? I've got a bunch of vintage cards essentially in shoeboxes and I'm trying to figure out how to organize and store them better.
I store some of my raw cards in penny sleeves in Card Saver 1s. I like that there’s virtually no chance of the card falling out, unlike top loaders (unless you tape the tops, but who wants to look at the card with painters tape holding it in?).
Jim
@cb42 Just my thoughts… I have bought boxes of semi-rigid card holders that are smaller in size than the larger sized ones that they recommend for PSA submissions… the larger ones have a bigger lip which make putting the card in slightly easier.
Is there any chance you are using the smaller version?
See the difference:
Below is the smaller size box (notice it says semi-rigid also… but not PSA submission)
Here is the box type that says PSA submission and is the larger ones I showed above.
Hope this helps.
Live long, and prosper.
Great point threeofsix. Slightly larger vintage cards (like '56 Topps) barely fit into the smaller semi-rigids.
Make sure you get Card Saver 1. I only use Card Saver 2 for pre 1953 and other smaller than standard cards.
Looks like I got the smaller ones. Thanks for pointing that out.
I BUY THE CARDBOARD GOLD ONES -- RED BOXES. THINK I GOT 2000 FOR $140.
CARD SAVER 1
Thanks olb31. I obvlously bought the wrong thing. The dealer even had the Card Saver 1's but didn't suggest them, just let me buy these. This video illustrates the difference and the struggle I was encountering with the Ultra Pro Semi Rigids (not the graded card submission version, which is larger). And here's the thing: Had I not asked the question on this forum, I would have thought everyone used the semi rigids I got and struggled like I did, and just tried card after card, getting more and more frustrated. So thanks everybody.
@cb42 You are welcome!! (PS We were all new once!!!)
Live long, and prosper.
Even going back when I was submitting in the early 2000s, everything went into CS1s.
I’ve never had an issue with Card Saver 1 or Humongous Hoard . I started 6-8 months ago using penny sleeves as well
I didn't use the same technique this guy used to attempt to insert his card into those blasted Ultra-Pro Semi Rigids, but his frustration sums it up well!
Yeah, he has a legit gripe about the smaller UltraPro holders, but his technique is not good at all. He's just trying to jam it in there which won't work on any sized semi rigid holder.
Also good suggestions here to pre-stretch them a bit (with clean fingers), and practice with some cheaper cards. Everyone finds their own comfortable way of doing it with practice. I tend to hold the cardsaver on the table flat, then use a finger or two to lift up the top edge and carefully insert the card.
Someone should design and 3D print a contraption that holds the cardsaver and opens it up a bit without leaving a mark so you can insert the card easily.
Here's an image I saved from PSA's site which shows a pretty decent technique when inserting a card, if you have the dexterity.
Card Savers and Ultra Pro semi rigid holders are made from PVC. PVC breaks down over time (years) releasing acids , alcohols, and oils that can potentially damage paper sports cards. Polypropylene "penny" sleeves are more inert and more stable over time although they are less clear than PVC.
I store my vintage cards in penny sleeves then in card savers for single cards or in acid free cardboard boxes. Very stable and safe.
This is a topic that needs more discussion and research considering the billions of dollars that sports cards collectors have invested and who store their cards within these products. It would be great if one of the grading companies would talk more about PVC & storage and take this on. I know Beckett publishing tried way back and were sued by a PVC card sheet maker for defamation.
Graded holders are also made from PVC. Beckett is the only card garding company that uses a polypropylene inner sleeve inside the outer PVC rigid holder to archive a card. PSA somtimes uses Mylar for oddly sized cards inside there rigid holders which is touted as inert as well.
There is some discussion in the stamp collecting world for those who are interested....
polypropylene has long term issues as well, Mylar does not.
Mylar is pretty much inert. I have comics I stored in that since way back in 1984 and nothing has changed in those 41 years. The polypropylene from those times did not fare so well.
I figured you bought the smaller ones. Those were a pain until I learned about CS1's years and years ago
I did get a pack of Card Saver 1's and the difference is like night and day.
@cb42 A funny personal follow-up… I’ve had some dealers in NH tell me the smaller semi rigids are all anyone uses to submit to PSA and there’s never been any complaints… I even returned to those shops to show them the larger sized ones, and their reply… “I don’t see what the difference is.”
Well, I’m glad you did!!!!
Good luck with your gradings!!!!
Live long, and prosper.
PVC is a no-no for coins and metal objects, certainly, but in practical terms it doesn't really do harm to cards. Your main problem is if a page were to deteriorate to the point of melting into/staining a card, but you're really going to have to try and leave your cards on a sunny porch or a steaming hot attic window for that to occur. As far as the hard plastic acrylic shells used by Beckett, PSA, SGC, CGC you name it -- no, those aren't going to harm your cards chemically. Put them in a paint shaker, drop them from great heights, run over one with your car; then yes, your cards would see some damage.
BTW to the OP, good job figuring out to get CS1's. As far as easier inserting of your cards, try cutting (with scissors) at the open edge of one, down the sides, right at the seams, for about an inch or so when submitting to PSA. The card will stay put just as well, but you'll stand a much better chance of avoiding damage when placing it in there.
Way back when I was submitting, I’d do everything in CS1s. Then I’d make packs by putting a number of those CS1s into graded card sleeves. And, if possible, I’d put those packs into a brown PSA graded card box that my last submission came back to me in. That always worked great for me.
No idea what the standards are now.
Here are the recommendations for storage of paper based collectables and stamps from the Smithsonian museum... The short of it... PVC is not recommended. Polyester/Mylar, polyethylene and polypropylene products are more inert/stable and are recommended.
https://postalmuseum.si.edu/choosing-safe-plastics