When Shopping For Football Cards Online, Make Sure To Pick Up Protectors, Too
Posted on: 7 June 2017
If you're just getting into the hobby of collecting football cards, one of the things that you'll enjoy is being able to build your collection from the comfort of your home. A number of retailers have online stores, which means that you can easily browse the available products to pick out single cards, packs, and boxes that interest you. Buying cards is certainly exciting, but you'll need to have a solid plan for protecting them, too, given their value. You can't just toss the cards onto a shelf. Here are some protective items that your football card retailer will likely sell, too.
Soft Sleeves
The first line of defense for your football card collection should be a soft sleeve for each card. These thin, plastic sleeves are slightly larger than a standard-sized football card and will protect the surface of the card from scratches. You may find that your online card retailer sells these sleeves as "penny sleeves," given that some retailers charge roughly that amount per sleeve. Soft sleeves are often sold in packs of 100 or more, so it's worthwhile to buy several packs if you have a sizable card collection or are planning to build one.
Top Loaders
"Top loader" is the general name given to the hard-sided, durable plastic sleeves that are designed to protect the cards in your collection. They're taller, wider, and deeper than the cards and the soft sleeves, which means that you should put each card in a soft sleeve before slipping it into a top loader. Top loaders are valuable because the durable plastic prevents the cards from being bent; whereas you could inadvertently bend and damage a football card when it's protected by a soft sleeve, this won't be the case when you're using a top loader.
Magnetic Holders
The next level of protection for your football cards is the magnetic holder. You won't likely put each of your cards in this style of holder, but it's ideal for those that have the highest value and need the most diligence in terms of safekeeping. Magnetic holders are more durable than top loaders, and whereas the top of a top loader is open, magnetic holders are made of two pieces that sit around the card. You don't slide a card into a magnetic holder in the same manner as a top loader; rather, you remove the top of the magnetic holder, put the card in place, and then close the top — and a small magnetic holds it in place.
If you're ready to build your collection, check out retailers like BEGC Sports Cards.
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