Protecting Baseball Cards: All the Collection Supplies You Need

Think back to your time as a child when you would collect new sports cards. If you were like most children, you probably enjoyed getting new cards but didn’t take quite as good care of them as you could have. Over the years, these cards may have degraded, become bent or damaged, or even gotten lost. 

As an adult, you now know the sentimental and monetary value of these investments. Keeping them protected is an important part of collecting sports cards.  

But what baseball card collecting supplies should you use if you’re looking to ensure that your cards withstand the test of time? Let’s take a look at a few must-have sports card supplies you will need to protect your baseball cards. 

Card Collector Accessories You Need to Protect Your Collection

1. Soft Card Sleeves for Sorting and Organizing

When it comes time to take a look at all your cards and organize them, you’re going to want to keep them protected so that they don’t get bent or ruined by oils on your hands or other contaminants. One of the best collection supplies for this purpose is soft card sleeves. 

These hobby supplies offer protection while making it easy to sort through your cards and organize them for storage later. If you’re looking for an affordable way of protecting your baseball cards, this is it.

2. Toploaders for Storing Your Sports Cards

Speaking of storage, you’re going to want to have supplies on hand that allow you to maintain your peace of mind knowing that your cards are safe from damage once you put them away. The best trading card sleeves are worth having in your collection, but toploaders offer their own positives.

For this, you should go for 3”x4” Toploaders. Toploaders are much thicker than their soft sleeve counterparts, serving to prevent your cards from bending once they’re put away and making sure that they aren’t ruined by dirt, dust, or other contaminants. No matter your organizational system or storage methods, toploaders are a necessity for protecting baseball cards! 

Using a Toploader Properly

Make sure to insert your cards into a soft sleeve before placing them in a toploader, to prevent damage or scuffing to the card's surface. Whether you’re rocking a vintage Mickey Mantle or a new Shohei Ohtani card, you’ll need a couple of these in your collection.

3. Magnetic One-Touch Holders for Your Most Valuable Pieces

Most card-collector accessories focus on providing basic protection for your sports card collection. However, not all your pieces will offer the same level of value, even if you want to protect all of your baseball cards. 

You might have some seriously valuable pieces in your collection that require greater protection to ensure that you don’t lose your investment. 

One of the baseball card collecting supplies you should have for these is magnetic holders. Magnetic holders offer: 

• A slide-in hinge with magnetic closure to help you keep your card safe as you slide it in
• Diamond borders 
• A thick body to prevent any damage from occurring 
• UV-resistant properties. 

This is the perfect storage solution for your higher-end cards that you don’t grade.

Who Should Buy Trading Card Sleeves?

Serious Collectors and Investors

If you’re investing upwards of $500 into graded baseball card singles, the absolute worst mistake you can make is not getting a solid card sleeve or toploader. Protecting baseball cards as an investment takes a lot more work in the long term, but a sleeve is a great place to start.

Anyone Submitting Cards for Grading

You don’t necessarily need to be an investor or even a serious collector to get your cards graded. A professional PSA slab elevates any sports card and makes it the centerpiece of the shelf. 

If you just pulled a great card and plan on getting it graded for personal reasons down the line, you need to keep it in mint shape with the best trading card sleeves.

Serial Pack Openers

Let’s be real. There’s no scenario where having a sleeve hurts your cards. Protecting your baseball cards with a sleeve is always a good idea if you’re a collector who frequently goes through multiple hobby cases at a time. 

After all, you never know when you’ll stumble onto the next great rookie patch.

Ultra Pro or BCW?

We only carry reputable collection supplies, so you really can’t go wrong with either brand. It all comes down to your personal needs and preferences. BCW and Ultra Pro toploaders both serve similar functions, so we recommend simply trying both brands to determine which card collector accessory you prefer. 

There are many other brands out there, but we recommend staying with one of the largest, most reputable ones.

Where Ultra Pro Shines

When you have cards that are more valuable than other cards in your collection, they demand better protection. That’s where our Ultra Pro One-Touch Magnetic Holders really shine. They’re premium, laboratory-tested cases that include high-end features to improve protection and enhance presentation.

For example, say you have an autograph or low-pop parallel that requires the best-of-the-best protection. 

• Diamond corners keep your cards mint, even if your collection gets knocked around. 
• UV-blocking additives keep the colors true, even if you accidentally leave a card in a sunny area. 
• Frosted borders deliver a premium look and feel. 
• The magnetic closure and slide-in hinge offer tough, rugged protection you can depend on, even better than the best trading card sleeves.

The Final Word in Protection

Still confused about protecting baseball cards? Simply put, both brands make top-quality sports card accessories. Both brands’ toploaders are well-known throughout the community and will get the job done right. 

For your high-value cards, invest in Ultra Pro One-Touch Magnetic Holders. In the long run, you’ll be glad you did.

Find All the Supplies You Need at Giant Sports Cards

We aren't just the go-to vendor for all the newest sports card boxes at the lowest prices. We also offer a wide range of supplies that you need to protect your investments over time. 

Discover new sports card releases at the ultimate sports card store, and find all the products you need to preserve the quality of your cards, all in one place. Unbox Your Love Of The Game™ with Giant Sports Cards!

Frequently Asked Questions

Which baseball card collecting supplies should I start with as a beginner?

You can’t go wrong with a solid, reliable trading card sleeve. Ultra Pro’s card sleeves are an excellent place to start if you’re a beginner.

Why is it important to protect my baseball cards?

Protecting your cards with the best trading card sleeves is essential to preserving their resale value. In fact, the prices of certain graded singles can even go up over time if they’re rare and well-maintained enough!

What card collector accessories are must-haves?

Your regular card sleeve is great to have, but any serious collector needs a couple of magnetic holders in their roster for their most valuable pieces.