Today’s tip is to make sure collectors know how to protect and store their hockey cards and the importance of condition in the market.
Welcome back to another installment of Tips Tuesday, where I provide collectors of all levels with a little information to help them in their journey through the hobby. I believe our website can be a vessel to help grow the hobby one collector at a time, and that education is key to making that happen.
Today’s tip is to make sure collectors know how to protect and store their hockey cards and the importance of condition in the market.
Let’s begin with why it’s important to protect your cards and keep them in as good condition as possible.
Firstly, eye appeal is important for any collector. I’d much prefer my card to look immaculate without creases, fading, or damaged corners. I’m sure most -if not all- collectors feel this way.
This leads to the second reason why it’s important: value.
Whether a card I sell is raw or graded, the condition of it is important.
For example, the difference in value between a PSA 10 Auston Matthews Young Guns ($1,508) and a PSA 9 graded one ($623) is quite vast. Or even if it’s an ungraded card, you’re more likely to buy one that looks to be in better shape than one that is beaten up with a scratch or dented corner. The same can be said for you as a seller—you'd expect a nicer-condition card to sell for more than if it were damaged.
Now the question is: how do I protect my cards and keep them in good condition to maintain their high values?
There are a few ways.
- Grade the card (PSA, BGS, SGC, etc.): This will give your card the ultimate protection with a permanent encasing to maintain its current condition. However, most cards are not worthy of being graded. It’s an expensive cost, so typically only cards of significant monetary or sentimental value should get this treatment.
PSA Graded Auston Matthews Young Guns- One-Touch case:This product is a heavy-duty hard acrylic case with a magnetic closure and UV protection to keep raw cards in pristine shape. My recommendation is to use this case for cards in your collection that are ungraded but still worth a lot of money (like a raw Matthews Young Guns). Or a card that is very sentimental to you, like a personalized autographed card from a favorite player of yours that you got at an autograph signing or by waiting outside of the arena.
Connor McDavid Young Guns in a One-Touch case- Penny sleeve + top loader This is the most common method to protect and store hockey cards. A penny sleeve is just a thin piece of plastic you put the raw card into, and then you slide the sleeved card into a hard-plastic top loader for added protection.
Jack Hughes Young Guns in a penny sleeve + top-loader. - Binders This is what most pure collectors use to store and protect their cards. It allows them to keep them in decent condition while also being easily accessible and visible by just turning a page. However, traditional ringed binders have been known to damage some cards, so keep that in mind if you plan to store highly valued cards inside a binder.
Hockey cards being stored & displayed inside a binder.There is no right or wrong way to store your cards; it all depends on what your ultimate goal is and whether or not you’re collecting for fun or as an eventual investment. Either way, keeping your cards safe and well-protected will always be a wise decision.