Evolution of card storage

1957Braves

As I am in the midst of a collection reorganization, I was stuck with some nostalgia on how I stored cards through my collecting life.

First it was rubber bands around cards, then cards in a shoebox, then cards in a box specifically designed for cards, then penny sleeves, then top loaders, then graded cards, and now I am putting protective sleeves around my graded cards and ensuring they don't see the light of day and having people make appointments to see the cards (just kidding about that last part).

Ahh, memories...

Dboneesq

You forgot about the 4 screw down heavy plastic holders that we used to "protect" our cards, only to learn 10 years down the road when we sent them in for grading that the corners were all destroyed.

1957Braves

That's true. I remember having one for my only '89 UD Griffey and was so fired up about it. I spent some time making sure it was in there straight as can be before tightening the screws to smush the life out of it.

emar

Originally posted by: Dboneesq
You forgot about the 4 screw down heavy plastic holders that we used to "protect" our cards, .

I ruined a couple foil cards with them bulky holders.
It was very important to screw them down tight so the card wouldn't slide out & to preserve its integrity.
Apparently, the foil will stick to the plastic after sitting in the sunlight years & years. Ouch.

Today:
Not a word is mentioned to ANYONE unless it is a close friend or family member about cardboard pieces hidden in a safe,dark, climate controlled location.

craig44

1" thick screw downs. Oh the memories....

Dboneesq

Originally posted by: craig44
1" thick screw downs. Oh the memories....

Ah yes ... to PROTECT only your best cards. hahaha

NYYanksFan7

What about those Lucite? holders that were kind of like a clothespin? They were open on the bottom and sides, and it was essentially a piece of piece of plastic folded over and self-clamping. Probably the worst idea of a card holder ever.

TheMick6

In 30 years of collecting I think I've been thru just about every storage style as well. As a kid I didn't think anything was better than having my 83 topps set in plastic pages. Pretty sure I flipped thru that about 1000 times. It was a huge step up from the rubber bands my mom gave me or just a random box under a bed. It had nothing to do with protecting them either. Just the ability to view them quick was cool.

TheMick6

I can remember the first time I figured out people sold cards. I think I was about 8. I had started ripping packs in 1980 and it was around 82 and I had thousands of cards and like most kids I always needed one I just couldn't pull. It was a bump wills 1980 topps. Lol I must have ripped 200 packs maybe more that's a lot for an 6 year old on an allowance. Couldn't pull it. Well about two years later a deep into my 82 topps ripping I happened to go with my mom to a flea market. There was a guy there with a huge table filled with thousands of cards. I asked him if he had a 1980 bump wills??? I figured it was an extremely difficult card after all. The guy to me to look in three or four box on his table a there it was....bump wills.......right behind it was another one and another one lol and about 50 more. The guy sold me it and some 82's for something like a quarter I never looked at wax packs the same again.

TheMick6

Nothing to do with storage I know. Not sure why I posted that

detroitfan2

Am I the only one old enough to have used Velveeta cheese boxes to store cards in?

Tibor

Back in the mid to late sixties my brother and I used
shoe boxes and cigar boxes. I remember buying the last
two series of the '69 and '71 sets from a dealer in 1974.
Price was $16 dlvd. The tall boy '69 and '70 Bskt ball
were tough to store, had 100's of each.

Stone193

Does anyone remember the Strike Zone - "Broadway Rick"?



Got a great story about a 55T Jackie Robinson in a lucite screw down such that one could see the left top corner was crushed by over tightening. Had a SZ "seal" on it.



So, I sent it back. They took it out of the holder and sent it back to me - you could definitely see the damaged corner - so I sent it back - requesting a refund.



On a Saturday nite, I get a call from Rick giving me "what for" - how I knew nothing about BB cards....



This was in 1992 - no caller ID but they did have * sixty something?



He caught me off guard and I didn't say anything. Once he hung up, I was really upset.



So, I called him back and asked him "who hell did he thought he was to call me up on a Saturday nite at 9:30 and tell me off?" Words like that...



He then, proceeded to tell me he was under a lot of stress and stuff like that...



And gave somewhat of an apology - I let it go since I wanted my refund.



This is before the internet - so I decided to buy only graded thru SCD unless I really knew the seller.



I concluded that Rick was a real nut job.

Stone193

The Velveeta Box - very popular in the 50/60s for card storage.

Stone193

Before top loaders, semi rigids or penny sleeves:







Storing cards for viewing "old school":







When you went to card show in the 80s and maybe into the early 90s, ya might see something like this:

Stone193

ARROWHEAD Holder



I met Alan Hager in 1992 at the National.



He held something like 10 trademarks and the original patent for the holder PSA uses today; plus he copyrighted (or patented?) the 10 point grading system used today. I understand all these "rights" have expired?



The theory was to put those little "arrow head" openings in the corners of the holder to protect the corners from stress damage due to handling - was his sales pitch.



It was a really nice way to store and display cards for its time IMO.



Either way, the screw down - with or without the depression for the card - was a risky way to store a card.



And even more risky than that?



Does anyone remember or still use the snap tight holder or any kind like that?







I've heard many a war story of a ruined card popping them in or out?

1957Braves

How could I leave out the pages and binder. I used to jam four or five cards per slot in those pages. Also lugging the giant thing on my bike to and from the local card shops and shows. Looking back at the ones I put in the pages now is sort of humorous. That '92 Fleer Rookie Sensations Juan Guzman was supposed to pay for my first car. And I distinctly remember being upset when a dealer took all five of my '90 Score Kevin Mass for like $5 a piece. They were supposed to pay for college.

Stingray

Before I ever came across 9-pocket plastic pages, I had a photo book that had sticky pages with plastic cover for each page that you could peal back to remove or add cards to a page. Luckily no cards were ruined that I remember!!

vandweller

Originally posted by: NYYanksFan7

What about those Lucite? holders that were kind of like a clothespin? They were open on the bottom and sides, and it was essentially a piece of piece of plastic folded over and self-clamping. Probably the worst idea of a card holder ever.

I forgot about those altogether until this very moment. Godawful.

LarkinCollector

Originally posted by: detroitfan2
Am I the only one.old enough to.have used Velveeta cheese boxes to store cards in?

I was using those in 89/90, so you don't have to be that old. I actually still have some of my childhood collection in them.

BLUEJAYWAY

How about those 25,50,100 card count, snap top, clear plastic boxes. Many times they ruined corners as the card was either too large corner wise or the box was too small. Ruined a few cards before discarding their use.

KendallCat

Used to love the 1/2" and 1" bricks for displaying at shows. The thicker the brick the more valuable the card.

KC

rcmb3220

When I really got into collecting in 89 I broke out my brother's old cards. They were stored in ziploc bags, with and without rubber bands and put inside this 70s patent leather Detroit Lions duffle bag. I think that duffle bag is worth more than the cards but of course that is long gone. He had a few good cards in there like a Dawson and Ripken topps rookie that I might grade and give to him for fun but I doubt they'd get better than a 4. I really want to find that duffle bag though.

1all

I had 3 Topps Storage Lockers that looked scarily similar to the image below. I would almost certainly jam more than the recommended # of cards in each slot. It even had a handle for travel. One thing I remember is that it didn't have stickers for the Seahawks or the Bucs. But, it did have a couple blank ones to personalize.



-Doug (1all)

Stingray

Originally posted by: 1all
I had 3 Topps Storage Lockers that looked scarily similar to the image below. I would almost certainly jam more than the recommended # of cards in each slot. It even had a handle for travel. One thing I remember is that it didn't have stickers for the Seahawks or the Bucs. But, it did have a couple blank ones to personalize.

-Doug (1all)

+1 had one of those too.

craig44

I remember cramming 4 or 5 1989 donruss griffeys into one slot in a 9 pocket page and thinking I was the bees knees.

thebaseballcardkid

What is wrong with the 9 slot plastic sheets in a binder? I would only put in two per slot back to back. But other than carefully taking them out how did they ruin cards?

Someone bought my entire collection still in their lucite bricks. Remember the small eyeglass screwdriver needed to squeeze the heck and flatten that cardboard? Lol. I only could afford 4 ultra thick bricks for my most valuable cards. 1980 Henderson, 1975 Brett,

Also, we were high level collectors since our rubber bands wrapped the corners diagonally. Not the common criss crossed horizontal vertical rubber bands for "amateurs".