How do you store your PSA cards?

dontippet

Just wondering, how do you store your PSA cards? Where is a good place to buy supplies (PSA sealable sleeves, etc.)? What kind of box do you use?

Don

EagleEyeKid

I know tons of people spend a lot to display their psa cards and to store them. But if you're like me and you have a lot you just want to put away; go the cheap route for a few bucks. I usually buy the large 3000 or 3200 top loader style boxes from a card shop. Although they're not designed to fit PSA holders; all I do is remove the 2 dividers inside the box (since it makes up 3 rows) and it fits my PSA, GAI, and SGC holders nicely. It will fit between 250 - 300 graded holders. For a more perfect fit, I just remove 1 of the dividers depending on which brand I'm storing away. It works perfect for me, and it comes with a lid for $3.

Aknot

I have PSA/Slab boxes from BCW supplies.

inFluX

Anyone know of a company that makes display stands for graded cards? I like having my cards out on display rather than in binders and boxes. Be nice to have them standing up rather than laying flat..

BigKidAtHeart

<< <i>I know tons of people spend a lot to display their psa cards. >>

others just make their own displays for next to nothing.

ZodiacMindwarp

I use the standard white cardboard long boxes that store 83 slabs quite snuggly. This works perfectly for me because 8 boxes house 664 cards, the exact amount of cards in the 1969 baseball set. It's not pretty but it's efficient and effective.

inFluX

BigKidAtHeart:

Thats awesome, good job.

jrdolan

I never get tired of seeing BKAH's playpen!

As my raw cards were converted to graded, and my eBay purchases mounted, I ran out of room in my little fire safe. I could fit the most valuable cards in the safe by packing them like sardines, but I couldn't organize them properly or view them easily.

I bought a metal gun cabinet from Kmart for about $90, the kind with locks at the top and bottom of the door. You bolt it to the wall at 4 points from the inside, and any thief would have to take out the wall to steal the cabinet whole.

I made my own shelf system (you can tell it's homemade, but it does the job). Four of the shelves are divided into five rows, each of which holds up to 30 graded cards, or up to 150 cards per shelf.

The topmost metal ammo shelf is part of the cabinet, and I use it to display 5 favorite cards, which rotate depending on my mood. The top homemade shelf holds rookies, one decade per row. The next shelf down is Mantle, Koufax, and cards that I have on eBay or are waiting to be graded. The next shelf is entirely Johnny Bench. Below that (not shown) is 1953 Topps and various other graded cards. Finally, the bottom undivided shelf and floor space contain raw cards that I would not want to lose, 1964 Topps Giants and other oversized cards, signed memorabilia and oddball items, and my handguns (actually in a gun cabinet!) When I need more space for graded cards, the lowest shelf will be divided into rows for that purpose and stuff will get evicted.

This lets me organize and get at my cards very easily. When I go away for more than a day, I move the most valuable cards back to the safe. The only downside of the cabinet is that it's not fire-rated. I had to make that sacrifice to get the room I needed and yet be able to lock it all up in an instant.

cspeier1

I had something very simular to BKAH.. But them my wife started getting "to worried" Now I own a sentry fire box.. A VERY Big fire box..

Chad

ctsoxfan

jrdolan, nice setup you have there - I have something similar, less the homemade shelves (which I like very much). Thanks for sharing that...

DCDSports

I know www.abon.com has a PSA slab display holder. It's clear acrylic, and it doesn't look bad. I use it to display my T206 Wagner and my T206 Cobb (Cobb back) in a center display cabinet. It's a couple bucks per holder, but it works well.

Doug

Actually, it's an ULTRA-PRO holder, I just checked. Click on "Supplies" and then scroll down to "Miscellaneous" and it's the last item.

Allen

I am always torn on this topic. To showoff lavishly or to stash away to never see the light of day? That is the question. I don't really have much graded, but I am about to order a bunch of the Mini-Slab holders since they are nicer than screwdowns or toploads. I love to have my cards out and enjoy them and show off, but I also like the security of having them locked up in a theft and fire proof place. I guess it varys from person to person. I use the John Kerry technique(flip flop back and forth).

BigKidAtHeart

<< <i>I know www.abon.com has a PSA slab display holder. It's clear acrylic, and it doesn't look bad. I use it to display my T206 Wagner and my T206 Cobb (Cobb back) in a center display cabinet. It's a couple bucks per holder, but it works well. >>

LINK

BigKidAtHeart

<< <i>I had something very simular to BKAH.. But them my wife started getting "to worried" Now I own a sentry fire box.. A VERY Big fire box.. >>



Chad,
what was she worried about?

fire?
theft?
how it looked?
or
what your friends thought?

slvnumber2

dolan - nice batch of 53's. I am looking to get back into some 1953 Topps - Paige, Mantle, Mays, and Jackie. I am still kicking myself for the 1953 Mantle tPSA 8 hat I sold a few years ago at the National - that was back when it went for $8500+ with no problem.

With all of the cards in the safe where do store the Smith and Wesson's?

jrdolan

<< <i>dolan - nice batch of 53's. I am looking to get back into some 1953 Topps - Paige, Mantle, Mays, and Jackie. I am still kicking myself for the 1953 Mantle tPSA 8 hat I sold a few years ago at the National - that was back when it went for $8500+ with no problem.

With all of the cards in the safe where do store the Smith and Wesson's? >>


I have only the beginnings of a '53 set: Mantle, Satch, #1 Jackie, Matthews, a few commons. Willie will be the big challenge, of course.

No Smiths, a 9-mm Beretta, a 9-mm Taurus Beretta copy, and a .22 Browning plinker. The hardware is stored in the floor segment of the cabinet (out of the picture frame). They may have to move to the safe, however, if I keep grading and buying this silly colored cardboard!

cspeier1

BKAH.. By worried, I meant asking how much, wanting to know why I purchased so many, Thinking she should get a new washer and dryer instead of a PSA 10 Elway rookie.. Maybe I should've said nosey...You know wife stuff. I was more worried about the things you listed. I feel much better of her not knowing how much, how many, and them being under my desk at work in a fire box..

Chad

slvnumber2

dolan - I keep one for the cards, some in the safe deposit box at the bank, and I found a nice way to store my home security system. I picked up a digital safe that will hold 2-3 pistols, so I can keep them loaded and accessible and at the same time safe from children. All it takes is a digital pin # and it is open in 3 seconds. I keep my Taurus .38 snub there, and I also have a Taurus M607 .357 7 shot that is as accurate as any handgun I have ever fired - that is saying a lot since I trained on the S&W Model 19 with a 6" barrel which IMO is as fine a handgun ever made.

Of course I keep my graded cards in a different one so that Mickey or Ted don't acccidentally have a cap put in them - something tells me a 56 Mantle with a bullet hole is not going to get an 8 from PSA.

BigKidAtHeart

<< <i>BKAH.. By worried, I meant asking how much, wanting to know why I purchased so many...
You know wife stuff. >>

Chad
I totally understand.
As supportive as my wife is,
when she thinks about it
she gets a little freaked about how
much I have spent too.

it is exactly what you said, "wife stuff"!

COSTANZA

BigKidAtHeart

<< <i>BigKidAtHeart, problem is that all of your cards will be faded in a few years - I wouldn't recommend displaying any valuable cards in that manner.
PSA graded cards should not be stored in an upright position; they should be stored flat. >>


Thant kinda takes all the fun out of collecting if you cant display it.

so how do you reccomend that collectors SHOW OFF their collections?

COSTANZA

A761506

I also am concerned about exposing my cards to light, and the fading that will eventually affect tons of graded cards... As far as how you're showing them off, who are you showing them off to and how often? To have a setup in your home, realistically, you're showing them off to yourself more than anyone. What I do with my favorite cards is scan them and post them all to my webpage, so I can look at them anytime without having to dig into my safe to find them, plus, I can show them to anyone, anywhere, anytime as long as they have access to the internet.

JonB

Store them flat and with no light? I'm sorry, but I thought the whole point of collecting was to be able to show off your collection...

If I wanted to collect something to stash away in a big fire-proof gun safe that would never be seen... it would be bars of gold bullion.

Stone193

<< <i>If I wanted to collect something to stash away in a big fire-proof gun safe that would never be seen... it would be bars of gold bullion. >>


Jon
I agree. I have my stuff out like BKAH all over the place - the more cluttered, the more I like it. This is not a shot at the people who place their stuff in a safe - that is better protection - but no fun IMO. If I had a 30K card, that would be different.
And as it goes to how you store them? How many hundreds of years would it take for gravity to distort a card under its own weight in a holder standing in the upright position lacking physical distraction of any kind? Now, if you shake and bake them or live in San Francisco - then I might worry.
We may be alluding to the investor vs. collector mode of thinking here - again no shot or problem - I like everyone and learn from everyone - this is fun.
thanx
Mike

inFluX

It's good when your wife collects something as well then she can't really say much about your collecting.. My wife collects Barbie dolls, expensive Barbie dolls at that. We look at it as an enjoyable investment that one day we'll cash in on, rather than collecting boring intrest in the bank.


(edited spelling errors) you guys should be used to this by now

Justin

I made my own display and it was dirt cheap!

BigKidAtHeart

<< <i>As far as how you're showing them off, who are you showing them off to and how often? To have a setup in your home, realistically, you're showing them off to yourself more than anyone. >>

this is probably true, but I collect them because I enjoy them. I want to see them and even touch them!
In fact that is the one reason that I was initially reluctant
to get any cards graded. Having them inside a sealed case
seemed so impersonal to me.

Like STONE said, I am not bashing anyone... we should all do what
we think is best with what we have spent hard earned money on,
but as for me, I want to see, feel and smell that wonderfull cardboard!!

Allen

There is nothing like when you have a cookout or people over and they are all amazed by your awesome display of cards. Like me and my dad collect guns, we have some really valuable firearms that we store in a safe, but we take the $10,000 ones out and shoot them just like we shoot the $500 ones. I sometimes like to take my collection box with me to a show and watch the dealer's eye get big when they look through it. I dunno, I mean you can't really use cards for anything(thought they are investments) but I like to show them off.

crsportscards33

I remember reading on here a few months back about someone using an old card catalog from the library. Don't rememeber all the details, but someone else might.



Chris

BigKidAtHeart

<< <i>I remember reading on here a few months back about someone using an old card catalog from the library. Don't rememeber all the details, but someone else might. >>

forgot about this... it is a great idea.

THREAD about it...

BigKidAtHeart

<< <i>the whole point of collecting was to be able to show off your collection... >>

Mr. Hartland has a GREAT collection display in his basement.

cspeier1

I need to tell you guys about a experience I had. I lived in Denver for 10 years. I was living with a girl, actually she now drives a Top Fuel Dragster, anyway we lived in this cool old house that was built in the 1890's. I had a room dedicated to my collections. I had Super Bowl tickets and programs. Football cards displayed like BKAH. Some of the coolest things I had was a set of uncirculated coin sets and bill sets from $1-$20 all in the year I was born, 1967. OK now the story..

One winter night we had the worst sleet and snow storm I've ever been in. The trees and electrical wires we all over-weighted. About 2:00 in the morning I heard a nasty loud sound. I ran to the back door and freaked out. We had an old oak tree in the back yard and the weight of the frozen sleet and rain was to much for it. A hugh branch fell on the power line and sparks and flames we flying all over the ground and house. It looked like something you'd see in a movie.. I started yelling, and we called the fire dept and they came to the rescue.. OK now the story..

Days went by and everything seemed OK, one day I came home to the Denver fire dept. putting out my house! What had happened was this old house had wood chips for insulation in the ceiling! It must of started and then started to smolder until it caught fire.. After the fire, we couldn't stay in the house. The insurance company put us up in a motel and sent in a disaster team.. Now the real story..

The disaster crew robbed me blind! The took all our belongings from the house. They had all the cloths cleaned, TV's cleaned, etc... I was worried about my stuff, but the disaster company reasured me they'd be OK.. Over 1/2 my cards were stolen. All the uncirculated money and bills, almost $5,000 worth of stuff. The insurance company paid us off. They said the people who did it were temps and no longer we employed. We had to fight tooth and nail, but we got every penny..

This is one reason I like my fire box. The fire could've taken out everything, instead some ass hole did.. I'm 100% content knowing they're safe in a box.. I also like the fact that I can have a scan on the registry, kind of keeps me satisified. But, I do LOVE to touch and look at them. That's part of the hobby for me. I worst nightmare is something that's happened to me.. I lost a major part of my collection.. I know what I have. I know how much money I paid, I don't need to start over again.. Sorry for the long story, I just wanted to share it with you guys. It feels good to tell "people" who would care..

Chad

onlychild

My graded collection is small so it used to be stored in the closet. Now its become an important part of my life. So my wife is in the closet and I sleep with my PSA cards.

The raws are stored any and everywhere in the garage.

Kevin