If you are a collector, the biggest nightmare would be to have your collection damaged or ruined. Memorabilia, whether it be game or sports related, is collected for a reason and the last thing you would want is to find out that something happened out of your control and damaged it. Luckily for you, there are plenty of ways to protect your memorabilia and keep it safe. The days of worrying are over as you look to employ these new strategies and methods.
Here are 7 tips and ways that you can protect your memorabilia and keep it in top condition.
1. Card Sleeves
Cards have a habit of getting bent or losing the crispness of the corners. This is normal to happen to a card and I’m sure everyone has playing cards that are quite beat up from exposure and time. These are not regular cards we are talking about; however, these are cards that have value that you need to keep protected. Any touch of damage or creasing on these cards can greatly ruin the value of it and the collection it belongs to. From Yugioh cards to sports trading cards, you will want to keep your cards safe with card sleeves. Card sleeves allow you to keep your card in top condition while still being able to view them. These card protectors will keep your corners crisp and will help to prevent water damage or food falling onto them. Don’t fool around with expensive cards that are worth hundreds or thousands of dollars. Get yourself some card sleeves and keep them safe.
2. Store Them in the Right Temperature
Removing moisture from the air is essential for keeping antiques, sports items, and cards in good condition. Even with card sleeves, if your storage room is not climatized correctly, these cards risk getting damp from the air itself. How can you prevent this from happening? Any room that has valuable items in it should have a dehumidifier which helps to remove moisture from the air, preventing these collectibles from absorbing water. Don’t fool around with moisture, it can be one of the biggest killers of your memorabilia.
3. Store Autographs in Boxes Away from Lights
Autographs can be some of the coolest pieces of collectibles one can own. The problem with autographs however, is that they are prone to fade overtime and soon you are left with an object without a signature. This happens due UV lighting on the autograph along with oils from fingers slowly rubbing the autograph off. By putting it in a box you can keep it safe from the light and by washing your hands before you handle it, you can ensure you get most of the oil off of your fingers.
4. Use Soft Cloths for Cleaning
Avoid throwing all kinds of chemicals and polishes on your memorabilia if possible. Whenever there is anything on them or damage, try gently rubbing it with a soft cloth. This will help to remove any particles or dust on the object while still keeping it clean and free from polishes and chemicals. Always keep a soft cloth handy when you are dealing with memorabilia.
5. Acid Free Containers
Do you ever notice how paper slowly begins to turn brown overtime? That is a reaction of the card itself to naturally occurring acids in the air and other materials. This process is extremely hard to avoid if you do not take proper precaution with your materials. Getting yourself special acid free storage containers can allow you to place your collectibles into a container and not worry about having them damaged again.
6. Keep it Airtight
Air will always be your enemy when dealing with preservation. Due to the natural amount of moisture and elements in the air, some of these will interact with your objects and very slowly provide wear to them. If you have something that is extremely valuable that you cannot risk damaging at all, look into vacuum sealing it. Vacuum sealing removes all the air from the container its stored in and will eliminate all the negative effects air can bring to your collection.
7. Do Not Laminate
While laminating can help protect your memorabilia in the short term, it causes nothing but problems in the long run. Laminating objects does not stop them from getting bent or creased and can still be partially damaged through water if not looked after correctly. Along with that, once you laminate an object it loses all of its resale value. If you are in the business of memorabilia, don’t you want the opportunity to sell?
Regardless of your memorabilia, you should always take the necessary steps to keep it safe and preserved for the future. These are objects that can be worth a ton of money later on and measures should be taken to prevent them from getting ruined. From card sleeves, to climate control, to storing them into containers, there are many different methods you can use to keep your collection safe and stress free. What do you collect?
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