Long Term Storage: Stand Up or Lay Down

charrigan

Assume that we're talking about graded cards only.

Best for long term (years) storage: standing vertically in rows or laying down flat in stacks? Is there a difference?

Most professional storage options store cards vertically in rows. I wonder if standing a piece of cardboard on end of years could cause it to bend or otherwise cause damage. Laying down makes sense, but I don't see a good/convenient option for that.

Has anyone else looked into this? Thoughts?

alnavman

I seem to recall other threads on this topic over the years, I'll bet someone will point you towards them in due time......my opinion is I don't have an opinion on this topic.......good night all.

al.

MisterBungle

"...my opinion is I don't have an opinion on this topic"
-----

+1

The way the holders are designed, I don't think it matters.

~

DanBessette

<< <i>"...my opinion is I don't have an opinion on this topic"
-----

+1

The way the holders are designed, I don't think it matters. >>



That was my thought, that the holder prevents bending. I say vertical is the way to go.

hyperchipper09

I do a combination of both these days.

Dnice

Long Term Storage: Stand Up or Lay Down

I wish I had problems like these.

Constantine

I rotate my slabs. 45 degrees every 6 hours so that comes out to a full rotation every day.

flcardtrader

<< <i>I rotate my slabs. 45 degrees every 6 hours so that comes out to a full rotation every day. >>



Everyones a comedian in this thread

Seriously though, it is a good question as a card seems to move around slightly in the holder when standing up while it doesn't when laying down.

I choose to lay them flat as I would prefer not being one of those people who posts a dinged PSA 9 or 10 saying, "how does this happen?"

ajezove

<< <i>I rotate my slabs. 45 degrees every 6 hours so that comes out to a full rotation every day. >>



That would be a full rotation every other day. Your slabs would be upside down at the end of day 1.
I store mine laying flat horizontally in stacks of 50 for no particular reason other than convenience.

Mike

Dpeck100

A few years back I emailed Joe Orlando to ask this question as I had slabs stored stacked on top of each other in a drawer probably 20 deep.

His response was the slabs were made to withstand that kind of pressure.

Currently I have some stacked and some standing up. So far I can't tell any issues.

charrigan

Yeah, which is pretty much what this entire board is. Love you guys, but if you don't have something to contribute, just pass on commenting, eh?

Dpeck100

<< <i>Yeah, which is pretty much what this entire board is. Love you guys, but if you don't have something to contribute, just pass on commenting, eh? >>



Casey you Canadian?

charrigan

<< <i>Casey you Canadian? >>



Take off, ya hosers!

Dpeck100

<< <i>

<< <i>Casey you Canadian? >>



Take off, ya hosers! >>



Only reason I asked was the "eh".

Earlier this year we were down in South Beach and met a couple from Canada. It was awesome hearing her say "eh" after every sentance.

You might know the hockey player.

John Erskine

He was super cool and we got smashed and had a blast at the pool.

charrigan

For the record: I am not Canadian. Unless you think Michigan is close enough. Some winters, it feels like it.

DanBessette

<< <i>For the record: I am not Canadian. Unless you think Michigan is close enough. Some winters, it feels like it. >>



Ditto Vermont.

DezHood

I thought about this because for different types of media it does matter - the old VHS tapes are better stored vertically. For cards I have no idea - in general I try to prevent movement - like someone said most cases are vertical, so when I do stack horizontally, I use a container store case that approximately fits a flat PSA holder. Off topic, still waiting for the plastic PSA cases that fit the new holders, right?

KbKards

Oh my gosh, thank goodness for this valuable thread. I've had a whole set of 1954 Topps stored upside down and vertically for over 15 years. I just checked on them and discovered the card image dripped down to the edge and now there's no top border on any of the cards. I plan to turn them upright and store them vertically for 7 1/2 years and hope they go back to being 50/50 centered. I will then store them flat so the card images don't drip off center. If it wasn't for this thread they might have all turned in to blank fronts.

charrigan

I really don't want to come off as a jerk, but:

a) this forum is not only for "major" issues. It's a minor, trivial, possibly inconsequential discussion. But, it might matter a little bit - I don't know. If the most space devoted to it is one thread with a few genuine replies, that shouldn't be a bother and it might possibly help someone in the future.

b) I get that this is a tough ask on an online forum, but #notrolling, please. If you don't have something to add, just don't post. Taking the time to type up "I don't have an opinion" is a waste of everyone's time. Honestly says more about the poster than me.

c) as others have mentioned, I am not the only person who has had the thought pass through their mind. It's valuable info for some, even for peace of mind, even if some of you don't care.

d) generally, posting to mock a legitimate question does not do much to make this a welcoming place. We should encourage people to air their thoughts and questions, not discourage them by making them feel stupid.

MisterBungle

I get your point, charrigan, but you're really not going
to change how the interwebs work, no matter how
hard you try.

I've been doing newsgroups and forums since 1996,
and I can tell you, that's just how they work. Don't
take it personally.

Here's the way I've come to look at it. Questions
like the one you posted, many times slide right
off of the front page without a single comment of
any kind. At least with the "I have no opinion" or
the "me too" comments, you get a bump to the
top of the page where someone who missed it
the first time will see it and comment.

Also, since there is no way to see how many
people read your post, at least you know that
the off-topic posters saw the damn thing.

If you lighten up a bit, this will be a lot more fun.

John

hyperchipper09

My comment was 100% legit, it might have come off as flip but I can go into greater detail. I do use a combination of both. Couple of small plastic storage containers(Wal Mart, Target have these) that are perfect size for PSA/SGC/BGS graded, for flat storage. I have the 3 drawer container that holds roughly 18 total in each dawer, 3 drawer containers. Very old dresser type, handmade by my Dad creation, with drawers that allow me to store vertically. No issue with either method. Always considered it more personal preference/availability of method more than anything.

WalterSobchak

I would be very much in favor of more wise-ass comments in threads as opposed to less. That is most of the reason I come here.

Also, I store all cards in my sets vertically.

itzagoner

if i had any of those Benchwarmers i'd consider keeping them horizontal for the long term.

charrigan

I'm all about snark and funny comments. I realize that it's hard to walk the line of "hey, guys, don't crap on people here" while also not being Mr. No Fun. I can handle it; I'm simply trying to make the point that it's one thing to mess around and another to have a series of posts that basically communicate "that question is stupid, don't waste our space by asking" or "you were dumb for even asking". The board is a better place when it welcomes everyone's questions and opinions and that can coexist with people having a good time if we point the jokes in a slightly different direction.

LarkinCollector

<< <i>if i had any of those Benchwarmers i'd consider keeping them horizontal for the long term. >>


I like where this is heading....

MisterBungle

You have to remember, charrigan, that even though this
post was your "baby", so to speak, by the time it gets
a half dozen replies, a lot of people don't even remember,
or care, who posted the original question.

I know I've replied to replies and have no idea who the
original post was by. So when you take offense at some
reply in the thread, that person may not even know who
they're replying to.

You kind of have to look at this forum like any other
group of people. There is the guy at the gathering who
you enjoy talking with, and then there's the brother in
law who you only see a couple of times a year, and that's
too often.

John

charrigan

<< <i>You kind of have to look at this forum like any other
group of people. There is the guy at the gathering who
you enjoy talking with, and then there's the brother in
law who you only see a couple of times a year, and that's
too often. >>



Well said.

Very fair. Thanks, John.

MULLINS5

This is a good question and I don't understand why it's being joked about.

For my 89s I'll store them whatever works the best as they're worth less than the grading fees, but I'd think some cards would have to be stored differently...like foil cards which can scratch.

flcardtrader

<< <i>This is the sort of thing that people refer to as rich white girl problems. >>



yeah, kind of like chasing after the card with 50/50 centering when you already have one 45/55. I am sure none of us on this board has done that, right?

Ndoggy88

Storage is fine either way.

WhiteTornado

<< <i>I would be very much in favor of more wise-ass comments in threads as opposed to less. That is most of the reason I come here. >>



I'll take wise-ass comments from real posters versus anything from trolls, any day of the week.

On the original topic, I'm afraid I don't own enough graded cards yet for this to apply to me . It is a good question to bring up, though.

AZDBzn2019

thank you

for a funky

time....

call me..


whenever you wanna grind

BaltimoreYankee

<< <i>if i had any of those Benchwarmers i'd consider keeping them horizontal for the long term. >>



Goner's always had the best material on this board.