quote:

Originally posted by tialessa:

quote:

Originally posted by Redemption:
What are banker boxes raywoo?

They're a specific type of storage boxes you can buy at any office supply store. Most of them will store both legal and letter size files.

Ah, thanks!

I'll have to check those out. Always looking for good storage!

Ideally I would keep my cards in screwdowns but I like looking at them so I put them in a binder for viewing.

I like to store everything in Ultra Pro Premium sleeves in Ultra Pro Platinum sheets. I then store them in my Ultra Pro Zippered Deck Binder that keeps out the dust.

Getting the "Premium" line is important. I don't know if the sizing is a little off due to quality control but sometimes the regular Ultra Pro sleeves don't fit nicely in the Ultra Pro sheets as they tend to bunch-up in the pages and give the cards a warped/wrinkled look when you view them in the sheets.

For me paying the little extra in getting Premium is well worth it.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: dmatsuda,

quote:

Originally posted by dmatsuda:
I then store them in my Ultra Pro Zippered Deck Binder that keeps out the dust.

How many 9-Pocket pages do the Deck Binders usually hold? I've been looking at investing in some zippered binders for most of my base and chase cards, but I'm not sure what the best way would be.

Does anybody else use zippered binders for storage?

quote:

Originally posted by LittleEarthquakes:

quote:

Originally posted by dmatsuda:
I then store them in my Ultra Pro Zippered Deck Binder that keeps out the dust.

How many 9-Pocket pages do the Deck Binders usually hold? I've been looking at investing in some zippered binders for most of my base and chase cards, but I'm not sure what the best way would be.

Does anybody else use zippered binders for storage?

I usually go 50 pages (60 pages max). You might get away with having more in but I use the Deck binders (for gaming) and they have little mesh pockets to carry sleeves, etc. Also I also like a little space so I can flip through my binder easily.

Thanks dmatsuda

Are there regular zippered binders available instead of the Deck binders? The online store where I buy most of my supplies, does stock the Deck binders, but no plain, regular sized zippered binders.

Although Ultra Pro are widely accepted as the best manufacturer for protecting your cards I just wanted to get some other people's opinions.

Well the thing is I'm beginning to get majorly pissed off with everything I buy of Ultra Pro!

If I but penny sleeves, they either have dodgy surfaces with indentations that can leave marks on cards. The tops of the sleeves are also not cut smoothly all the time, risking damage when putting cards in them. These are always inconsistently sized but at least they fit lengthways, but sometimes the width is too much ad they don't fit in pages properly.

If I buy deck protectors, they also often have marks/indentations and due to the heavier plastic used cause a gretaer chance of damaging cards. But more annoyingly they are not consistently sized if you spend the extra money you end up with cards sticking out of the sleeves. Great, very protective. But the thing I don't get is that peole in the past who I've bought cards from have sent cards in these better quality sleeves and have had loads of excess sleeve above the card, if that makes sense. Yet nobody I ever speak to seems to know if these sleeves are different from deck protectors ie. sleevs made for gaming cards which are slightly smaller.

Then when I buy Platinum pages whether 3 hole or 11, nearly every single page in the box has unsightly bumps on them that a) look horrible, and b) worry me about causing damage.
I personally like to put every card in a binder. So autos get 'deck' sleeves if I can get decent sized ones (otherwise its the penny sleeve), high end chase & costumes get penny sleeves and I now always put my commons in sleeveless.
However back on the topic of crappy Ultra Pro pages, loads of the boxes of sleeves I've purchased sometimes every page has rough 'edges' (where you slide your card in) and I've actually noticed that if you slide your cards into the page, particularly on the left and right had side where the 'seam' of the page is tighter, it scuffs your cards! So if I am to be cursed by crappy pages does this mean I have to put my commons in a sleeve to protect them? Enev though I don't wnat to? And then the same applies to teh low end chase cards that are sleeveless.

So nowadays when I buy new stuff I don't spend my time appreciating my cards like I wnat to but sitting there searching for decent stuff to put them in, disregarding so much ultra pro product I just want to chuck in the bin. When I buy binders from RA the pages that come in them have always been fine and I wonder if RA gets the good stuff and the public the bad.
But then again, maybe I'm getting a bit too tightly wound about this? When RA has come to shows to display master sets every card is in a page without a sleeve. Granted they are not the pride and joy of a collector but they are meant to be kept forever for archival purposes so maybe we're all getting a little sucked in to this Ultra Pro penny sleeve/premium sleeve, platinum page nonsense? I don't take my storage to obsessive or excessive lengths like the people who use toploaders/screwdowns/teambags etc. etc. for every single decent card they own (no offense anyone) but is it so wrong of me to want a couple of hundred good quality sleeves and pages?

I know this has been quite a rant, but every experience I have with Ultra Pro seems to be a bad one and considering they are supposed to be the best, all I ever get for my money is inconsistency and poor quality, which I think takes the piss.
So peeps, does anyone out there experience any of my plethora of problems?

And does anyone know the best way to store aftermarket/commissioned sketch cards that make use of inks, paints etc. otherwise not found on your average trading card?
Cheers.

quote:

Although Ultra Pro are widely accepted as the best manufacturer for protecting your cards I just wanted to get some other people's opinions.

I do not use Ultra Pro, but use the "Cosmic System" supplied in the UK by Stanley Gibbons. My only complaint is that I cannot put a sell sheet in the one page sheet as the sell sheet is exacly the same width as the Cosmic

Other than that I store my cards exactly the same way as you. The Cosmic System is very flexible and stands in the binders better.

quote:

I know this has been quite a rant, but every experience I have with Ultra Pro seems to be a bad one and considering they are supposed to be the best, all I ever get for my money is inconsistency and poor quality, which I think takes the piss.
So peeps, does anyone out there experience any of my plethora of problems?

X, you are not alone. Ultra pro professes to be the best in their field of collector supplies which I continue to question. I've found their quality control very lacking.

For example, there is supposed to be about a quarter inch margin "lip" above the top 3 cards on a 9-card sheet. That way the top cards in the page don't get dented up over time in the binder.

I find plenty of pages within the same ultra pro box that have little or no margin at all. I find this irritating, especially because of their high price and haute claims.

Collectors such as you & I are this collectors supply company's bread & butter. Its time that we write to them if we believe we have a valid complaint.

quote:

Originally posted by LittleEarthquakes:
Thanks dmatsuda

Are there regular zippered binders available instead of the Deck binders? The online store where I buy most of my supplies, does stock the Deck binders, but no plain, regular sized zippered binders.

Ultra Pro used to make black zippered binders. But I can't seem to find them anymore and only the Deck Protector Binders. The Deck binders seem to be a little more sturdy but also a little more pricey. If anyone out there knows of other zippered binders, please let us know!

quote:

Originally posted by BILLZEE:

quote:

I know this has been quite a rant, but every experience I have with Ultra Pro seems to be a bad one and considering they are supposed to be the best, all I ever get for my money is inconsistency and poor quality, which I think takes the piss.
So peeps, does anyone out there experience any of my plethora of problems?

X, you are not alone. Ultra pro professes to be the best in their field of collector supplies which I continue to question. I've found their quality control very lacking.

For example, there is supposed to be about a quarter inch margin "lip" above the top 3 cards on a 9-card sheet. That way the top cards in the page don't get dented up over time in the binder.

I find plenty of pages within the same ultra pro box that have little or no margin at all. I find this irritating, especially because of their high price and haute claims.

Collectors such as you & I are this collectors supply company's bread & butter. Its time that we write to them if we believe we have a valid complaint.

I used to get frustrated with the problem of sizing inconsistencies.

So far, I found that in the case of Ultra Pro, the Platinum pages (versus Silver) and the Premium Card Sleeves (versus the Card Sleeves) work better for display purposes.

In fact in the Ultra Pro Catalog it says that the Platinum Card Sleeves (RPSCG-1) offer "Consistent Sizing" which is not stated for the Card Sleeves (RPSCG-3).

I keep my auto cards in toploaders and sleeves and my costume (in sleeves) in a binder.

Unfortunately it is the Ultra Pro PLATINUM pages that have the significant (to me) sizing problems affecting the top 3 cards. But thanks anyway....

I keep mine in the trading card boxes they came in, stored away in a tin at the foot of my bed... how awful is that?! I really need some binders and ultra pro pages!

I keep all my cards in 9 pocket page Ultra Pro Platinum series (archival, no pvc, acid free)and put away in original binders.

This way you can easily flip through the pages in your binder and enjoy your favorite cards. I have been doing this since 1992 and all my cards still look the same as the day I put them there. But you are never too old to learn so I started reading the topics about storage in this forum an WOW! some of you go the great lenghts to protect your cards!

So I ordered a pack of soft sleeves (Ultra Pro premium) and was determined to put my more valuable cards in the sleeves and then put them back in the ninepocket pages!! I knew I was back on track...

But.... the sleeves didn't come with the No PVC, acid free text... No!! just crystal clear and heaviest gauge poly... If I put them in the sleeves first does that instead just harm the cards in the long run!! So now I am bummed out, is it good or bad to first store the cards in sleeves or are the sleeves just to protect cards when put in toploaders or something and used to transport them??

I also read that some of you put the cards in sleeves and then in toploaders and then in 4 pocket sleeves an dthen in a binder! Can anyone send me a picture of this method or put it on the board here!

I want to safely protect my cards but I also want them in a binder, period! The point is I have only put my cards in the pocketpages once and they still look good! Without sleeves or anything I am confused....

Who can help me out here?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: MvG,

I always asked myself: What is the best way to keep the more expensive cards safe? And I have to say: I don't know. But I have found a way, so that I'm happy.

I didn't wanted them to put in the 9 pocket pages, because there was/is always a chance to easily bend the cards with the pages.

So I put the autos, costumes and sketches first in a thin 4 pocket page binder(the pockets have the same size like the pockets in the 9 pocket pages) for 40 cards. But I was never happy with it.

And as I read on this forum, that some people put the autos in penny sleeves, then in top loaders and then in 4 pocket pages I gave it a try.

I have now begun to store my Buffy/Angel cards on this way. And I'm happy! I will do this also with the rest of my collection.

So I have to say to the NSU members THANK YOU for this great idea! And a big thank you to my dealer who gave a lot of top loaders with different sizes (for autos, thicker pieceworks, props...), who's also a member on this site

By the way: Here's a pic MvG:

Thanks for the pic Cee_Jay. I also wondered what it would look like and am strongly considering pursuing this method for storing my cards.

Cee_Jay, thanks for showing how you organize your cards. I'll have to consider that method when I'm ready to re-organize my collection.

quote:

Originally posted by Cee_Jay:

And as I read on this forum, that some people put the autos in penny sleeves, then in top loaders and then in 4 pocket pages I gave it a try.

I also put them in team baggies after placing them in toploaders to pretect them from dust/water/whatever... some people tape the four pocket page shut as well, but I don't do that.

quote:

Originally posted by Redemption:
I also put them in team baggies after placing them in toploaders to pretect them from dust/water/whatever...

I do this with the RA case cards and as soon as I get more team baggies (I have only a few at the moment) I will do this with the other cards too, because without a team baggie the top loader slides a little bit in the pocket. Not much, but too much for my taste...

I know this has been discussed before, but I still don't know if I should break the seal only to put the case cards in a penny sleve and then back in the top loader For example I like somehow the golden seals of RA case cards and it's a shame to damage them (for me).

Hey Cee_Jay,
thanks for the pic! that's a very nice way to store your more valuable cards. I am thinking to do the same to my cards.

What penny sleeves do you use? Are they acid free/ no pvc? With the ones I use I see a little bit of wrinkling when I put them in a 9 pocketpage.

Didn't know there were special toploaders for PW cards. They're useally a lot thicker than normal cards so I never put them in toploaders!

And I Just have to ask: what is a team baggie????