Scorecard Storage Question

[skooter]

I've recently been getting a few scorecards from the 1940s and 50s. I'm currently keeping them in 1 pocket Ultra Pro sheets , but was wondering if any other collectors has any better ideas? Do the Ultra Pro sheets cause any harm to the scorecards? Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by skooter

I've recently been getting a few scorecards from the 1940s and 50s. I'm currently keeping them in 1 pocket Ultra Pro sheets , but was wondering if any other collectors has any better ideas? Do the Ultra Pro sheets cause any harm to the scorecards? Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.

Hi Louis,
This is not my specialty, but I believe that you are safe with Ultra Pro sheets. In my collection I use scorecard and magazine top loaders and store them in bins.

I'm curious as to others chime in. Happy holidays!

[ibuysportsephemera]

My 10k+ publications are all stored in acid free mag or comic bags with acid free backing boards. I lay some of the better items down in plastic storage bins (mostly for easier access). The majority are in white magazine size storage boxes. Also, invest in removable tape, you will not be sorry. I will try to post pictures later.

Jeff

[thecatspajamas]

Magazine bags are probably the cheapest option while providing good protection. The backing boards are optional, mainly for rigidity. If you're storing them upright (as in magazine boxes), you'll want to make sure that either the box is full or you have backing boards or something to keep them from "slumping" resulting in creases at the spine and/or curling over the years. Flat storage is best for long-term, but may cause difficulties depending on your set-up.

The comment regarding removable tape is a good one too if you're going to be taking them in and out of the bags. Over time, most tapes tend to bond rather well with the plastic of the bags, resulting in stretching or tearing when you try to get them open. Often I find it's easier to just slit the tape and re-tape afterwards.

You can find magazine bags, boards and boxes at most well-stocked comic shops, or through online retailers like BCW.

All that said though, there's nothing wrong with using Ultra Pro pages to store them in, and if you've got them in binders that you flip through on occasion, that may actually be preferable to individually bagging them.

Just my 2 cents...

[kneerat]

I'm a fan of the 8x10" top loaders. A little more exensive than magazine bags, but sturdy and keeps your scorecards safe.

[ibuysportsephemera]

Originally Posted by kneerat

I'm a fan of the 8x10" top loaders. A little more exensive than magazine bags, but sturdy and keeps your scorecards safe.

Just be careful with these. The plastic edges are more rigid and when sliding a 1940's or 50's thinner paper program in, it can catch.

Jeff

[thecatspajamas]

One thing I do if I'm sliding something in kind of rough shape with tattered edges or tears into a magazine or comic bag is to lay it on the backing board first, then slide both in together. Helps keep the edges from snagging on the bag. Depending on the thickness of the toploader, you might even be able to sandwich the item between two boards, slide everything in, then slide the boards back out. Either way, the idea is to help prevent the snags that raw edges sometimes cause.

[celoknob]

Does anyone know if you use a rigid toploader, does it help protect to put a scorecard or photo into a mylar sleeve first like many of use do with smaller baseball cards? Or is it too hard to push the sleeve into a large toploader and possibly cause damage?

[doug.goodman]

I'm with Jeff and Lance.

I have about 3500 scored scorecards and I keep them all in comic book / magazine bags with backing boards.

Doug

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by celoknob

Does anyone know if you use a rigid toploader, does it help protect to put a scorecard or photo into a mylar sleeve first like many of use do with smaller baseball cards? Or is it too hard to push the sleeve into a large toploader and possibly cause damage?

The answer to your first question tends to be "yes", but because of the many heights, widths and thicknesses of scorecards, the answer to your second question is "it depends".

Doug

[thecatspajamas]

Originally Posted by doug.goodman

The answer to your first question tends to be "yes", but because of the many heights, widths and thicknesses of scorecards, the answer to your second question is "it depends".

Doug

I would second the "it depends" sentiment. There are many many sizes of toploaders available, so depending on how uniform you want your collection to look, you can always go up a size or two or three or however large it takes to fit the largest card in your collection.

On the other hand, if you're thinking more in terms of assisting with the actual insertion into the toploader, while the sleeve will definitely help keep from snagging edges, I think you'll find that it helps less and less in terms of sliding easily into the toploader as the size of the item increases. Mylar in particular tends to not "slide" as easily against the toploader material. Poly sleeves slide easier, but if it's a very tight fit at all, I sometimes have had problems with them crinkling up before I can get everything situated in the toploader.

One thing you will find with the larger toploaders is that, more than with cards, the front and back material tend to flex inward as you move away from the edges which does a better job of "holding" smaller, lighter items in place.

It's really just trial and error to your own personal satisfaction though. There is a pretty wide array of products out there for storing most collectibles, particularly flat items. We've come a long way since the freezer bag and rubber band days

[kaddyshack]

Louis, I use Mylar products from Bill Cole enterprises. They have assorted sizes. I also
use acid free card for backing. They sell it also. To me, this is the best long term storage
solution.

[Leon]

I have quite a few items larger than cards including some lower end scorecards. For most things I have been using toploaders with the item in a penny sleeve. Recently I acquired some 9 x 11 archival, acid free ""plastic" pages to put letters, invoices, letterheads etc... in. I want to be able to flip through them instead of having a stack of the toploaders to juggle. I might still use a toploader for any higher end items as I think they give a bit better protection than the myler pages alone.

I should add that the acid free cardboard backings sound good too.