Protecting unopened wax boxes?

miguel

I'm curious to know how folks protect unopened wax boxes that aren't wrapped by BBCE. I imagine shrinkwrapping is a possibility, but I don't really want to bother with getting a shrinkwrapper just for a dozen or so boxes. I've been hunting around to find something like a magazine sleeve that would fit relatively well around a standard Topps box or something close to it. Given how many folks out there I imagine collect wax boxes, I can't believe I haven't found a good solution referenced online, but maybe there just isn't one. Curious to know if anyone has any good ideas. Thanks!

PaulMaul

I protect empty wax boxes using comic book magazine bags. How to do it depends on the size of the box.

For the square boxes used in the early '70s a single magazine bag works unless they are unusually thick.

A single bag also works nicely for the smaller rectangular boxes from the late sixties:

The larger rectangular boxes used in the early to mid seventies are tougher because they require two magazine bags, but it can still be done:

markmac

I use old Starting Lineup domes. Boxes fit perfectly.

miguel

Thanks all for the feedback. I'm going to try using some poly bags, like the comic book ones mentioned by PaulMaul. However, for modern boxes the comic book bags will be too small. I've done some calculations and believe that Topps Boxes rom 78-91 you need a bag that about 9" wide and 11" long and that might be a pretty snug fit. That size should also fit Donruss or Fleer boxes, since both are smaller than Topps. I think there are both 9x11 and 9x12 magazine sleeves available on eBay

For smaller non-sports boxes, like Garbage Pail Kids and similar, I think the size of the bag should be 7.5" by 9/25", so an 8x10 sleeve would work well.

I've ordered some of these up and will be trying out the fit as soon as I get them. If anybody wants to know how it goes, let me know here and I'll update the post.

Thanks!

PaulMaul

I agree, the larger size of the boxes starting in 1977 is one of the reasons I have mainly focused on pre-1977 boxes. The packs (and hence boxes) got thicker with each passing year, so that protection and storage becomes more annoying as well.