storing autographs
 

My collection has been in a storage unit for the past year as we were travelling and without a home. We just purchased a home and I look forward to going to get my collection back. We purchased a home in a guard gated community in a low crime area. I am torn between getting safe deposit boxes at a local bank for the most valuable items (worth up to $10,000 ea) to just getting a fireproof safe and putting it in the house- where I have better access to the items. I have not insured the collection. I am curious what you guys do. Do you trust your house or put your treasured items in a safe deposit box? We do travel and could be gone for weeks at a time too. Leaning towards a safe deposit box but would love items at home

Both ways have their pros/cons, and in the end it depends on your personal preference and what your goals are.

If I had a bunch of valuable flat autographed documents, I'd have them third party insured, and I'd make sure my coverage would cover them if stored offsite at a bank safe deposit box. I would make nice color copies of them if I felt the need to view/display them, and I would display the color copies in my house or have them handy for when I wanted to see them, and I would keep the originals in my safe deposit box.

Or, make high res scans of them, and have a digital gallery on the web or on your pc that you can look at when you feel compelled to view your collection.


If you do choose to keep the originals at home, make sure you have them insured (unless you can afford the loss and want to self insure them) and that your policy covers the type of loss you wish to insure against up to the value you need. Display, enjoy them, to your taste.

Mike

I agree with Mike that the first you need to do is take pictures of your item and get them insured. I too am always torn whether to store them or display them. Currently, nearly all my flats are stored in a fire proof safe, but I have slowly begun to frame them as money is freed. The problem I have with framing is two fold 1) the costs for a high-quality frame is high but I worry that 2) The autographs will fade if displayed, even though they are in my basement where there is 0 direct sunlight.

Personally, I am against displaying copies, as I like seeing the genuine piece. I remember going to the Hall of Fame and being disappointed that nearly all the really neat signed artifacts displayed were copies. I understood, but was still disappointed.

Either way, I am excited for you to get back to your collection so you can show off some your collection.

I don't mean to stray too much off topic, but since it's related to storage of autographs, does anybody have any experience of how autographs were affected by UV glass/holders? I have some ball holders that are both plastic and glass as well as UV glass frames and was just wondering how good of a job do they actually deter fading. I don't like hiding all my signed items all the time from indirect sunlight. I like putting them on my shelf, bookcase, etc.

Any thoughts or personal experience on that?

no direct sunlight
 

I once went on a cruise ship that had a indoor sports bar on the top level with many authentic hand autographed items. They were all nicely displayed throughout the bar. Many were framed on all the walls and looked in curios. When I went back on the same ship two and a half years later virtually all of the autographs were illegible and very faded. So it does not take long for the sun to fade the photos, balls, cards and other items. I don't know if the frames had uv glass but I would guess not.

From what I understand UV cases and frames can eliminate 98% of the UV light (such as UltraPro). So if you're using lighting sources that still emit UV, even after an extended and prolonged period time those UV cases and frames will still allow for deterioration.

Switching to LED only lighting sources will help to eliminate deterioration even more. Some industry sources claim that LEDs produce no UV radiation. This actually isn’t true. LEDs do produce a small amount of UV, but they emit even less. That’s because the small amount that is produced is converted to white light by the phosphors inside the lamp.

Additionally 3M makes window films that can be applied to glass. They claim these films block up to 99% of harmful UV rays.

IMO, your best bet if you decide to display your pieces is this:
Use a room with zero sunlight and use LED lighting only.
Place all items in a individual UV cases or holders (ie UltraPro)
Place all cased/holdered items in a display shelf/case with the 3M UV window film applied over the glass.

This is the best you can do to eliminate fading and deterioration if you decide to display your collection.

Hope this helps.

My first concern is protecting the investment itself while being able to enjoy it and share it with others without any complications. My collection is stored in my finished basement in my man cave which gets 0 sunlight in my areas. I also have a solid poured wall 16 x 6 x 8 concrete room in the basement with a fireproof door and hvac ducting and air circulation. I have a safe and multiple locking cabinet doors. Our neighborhood is secure but with other possessions and general safety issues we have a burglar alarm with multiple motion sensors and stair sensors going into the basement along with the obligatory fire/ smoke detectors, but I also have a water detector in the basement in case water begins to flood or get into the basement. My collection is fully insured with the Traveler's thru the Finkelmeier agency. They do not require photos for the policy but you must submit a schedule of your items if they have a value over whatever limit you desire for your deductible. They will also insure off-site. I have my items completely inventoried and photographed. I have been with them for 11 years and find the premiums are not too bad in relation to the overall value of my collection.
The biggest concerns with collectibles ( especially autos and cards ) are moisture( humidity ), heat , cold , and sunlight, and handling. if you control those you are Ok. I keep my area at 65- 72 degrees year round.
Displaying any object in any type of light whether sunlight , indirect or direct, or in an area with plain incandescent or fluorescent bulbs will cause fading of the signature and damage to the paper or photo-the difference is the rapidity with which it will happen. I do not have total faith in UV products because over time that protection will decrease with exposure to any light... the vey thing it is supposed to protect against will eventually lessen the UV protection ( this happens with some of our dental products ).
I feel if you want to display items by all means do so . I display some of mine proudly...we are all proud of our collections and want to show our items, but I find rotating the items and never displaying the rare or valuable or irreplaceable items and never letting anyone but me handle unframed items is the best policy.

If the item is not being displayed then it is "in the dark".

Thanks. It doesn't surprise me that they have UV film for windows, but I never really thought about it in this way. It may be a good idea since just about every room in the home has indirect sunlight or artificial lighting (except maybe the closets).

autos
 

I have no desire to display them but I like taking them out when interested parties visit. Right now I have too many signed cards. Leaning towards putting the very valuable ones in a bank deposit box, moderate ones in a locked fireproof file cabinet we own and the rest in boxes. I am thinking of selling all except HOF and potential HOF and have already sold my pre 1970 signed that fit that category (except T205-6 which I will open for trade sometime in the next few months). Sounds like I have months of scanning to do but should be worth it

I would recommend keeping the most valuable items in a heavy safe that is bolted to the floor and has a humidity control device. A nice heavy duty gun safe would do. I would stay away from any cheap standup safes that aren't heavy duty and lack the bolt to the floor. You mentioned a concrete basement, I would bolt that sucker into the concrete for extra strength. This is just my opinion.

I like to look through my card collection pretty regularly so my vote would be for the home safe. A good one can be acquired for a few thousand dollars. I would also purchase insurance.