A rare card only keeps its value if it stays in good condition. Protection costs little and takes a few seconds, right after you open the pack.
How do you protect a valuable Pokémon card?
- put the card in a thin sleeve (penny sleeve) as soon as it leaves the pack
- for good cards, add a rigid toploader over the sleeve
- hold the card by its edges, not its surface
Binders and boxes
For a collection, choose a side-loading binder and sleeve the cards first. Common cards do fine in cardboard boxes, standing on edge. Do not use rubber bands.
What damages a card
- direct sunlight fades the print
- humidity bends cards, especially holo ones
- heat and pressure leave marks
How do you store sealed products?
Keep boxes out of the sun, at a steady temperature, with nothing heavy on top. For collector products there are acrylic protective cases sized for each product type.
See what is in the machine now or read what the rarities mean to know which cards are worth protecting.