Modern unopened long term storage question

Toro

Alright, with older Topps Wax there are issues with "gum bleed." My question deals with the modern glossy stuff and the prevention of "sticking". I've dealt with 1991 Wild Card and more recently 2001 Topps Football cards sticking together where they feel like bricks and it's usually impossible to pull them apart without ripping the photos off. First, what causes this? I'd imagine heat has something to do with this? Maybe humidity? Finally, I noticed with Donruss product, the company has their cards standing up in the box, I've always wondered if that helps prevent it, what do you think?

flatfoot816

I do not know the answer to your Q, but since1991, when Topps Stadium Club came out I have stored all of my modern stuff in the house where it is not that susceptible to the heat changes in an attic. Also, I do not use the card savers as I was always afraid of them sticking to the card

vladguerrero

I think it's a combination of factors but mostly that the card manufacturers didn't make the boxes to be stored for 50 years and then opened.

The dry storage etc... is an obvious requirement but it really depends on the issue. Because of the gloss on a lot of cards you have to give flex the top and bottom and left to right while the cards are in the pack to separate them prior to opening.

For 1995 Bowman's Best Baseball the boxes have a plastic wrap, the packs are foil, and even a thin silicone type beading on the front of the cards that prevent them from sticking to each other. However the Mirror Image subset cards (regular and refractor) have more of as paper front stock and they stick to the paper backs of the regular cards. When separating them they chip and leave part of the card on the backs of the regular card. My point being even within the same box different cards will react differently as they age.