Many people believe that PSA slabs provide the ultimate protection for their cards, but is that the case? Are PSA slabs airtight? Are they sealed? Let’s take a look!
PSA cases are not airtight. While they will protect your cards, they are not infallible. If your cards are inside a PSA slab, you still need to ensure that your cards are stored properly. If you do not, there is a risk of degradation to the card inside, which has happened to many people before.
Let’s go into a bit more depth on this, shall we? This way, you will know more about what PSA slabs can and can’t do.
Are PSA Cases Airtight?
No. PSA cases are not airtight.
While PSA does go to huge lengths to try and ensure that nothing is getting into the PSA case once it has been sealed, there will always be the risk. If you are storing the card, you will want to ensure that it is stored in a proper location, i.e., somewhere cool and dry.
If you store in a high humidity area, you may run the risk of things getting into the case, the same as if you stored the PSA case in a dustier place.
Don’t get us wrong. Your cards will be better protected inside a PSA case than they are outside of a PSA case. However, you will not be able to enjoy perfect protection, sadly.
PSA Recommends using Card Saver 1’s when submitting cards for grading. To check the current price and availability of Card Saver 1 Sleeves, click here to view the selection on Amazon.
Are PSA Slabs Waterproof?
No.
PSA slabs are not waterproof. There have been entire YouTube videos dedicated to this. PSA does not claim that their slabs are waterproof either.
If you stored the PSA slab in an area with high humidity, then the chances are that water will get inside of the slab and damage your cards.
If you spilled a liquid over a PSA slab, then there is a chance that water could get inside of the slab and destroy the cards. Although, if you wipe down the slab quickly, you may be able to stop at least a small amount of the damage.
Basically, while the PSA slabs are going to provide a decent amount of protection for your cards, they are not going to be perfect. Even when your card is stored in the PSA slab, you should treat it exactly the same as if it were outside of the slab.
Are PSA Cards Sealed?
Yes.
Anything inside of a PSA slab should be sealed.
These slabs are not vacuum sealed, though. They use a process known as laser sealing which doesn’t suck the air out of the slab when everything is sealed up. This means air could get trapped inside. This means that there could be a bit of condensation.
That being said, your cards should be pretty well protected when they are inside a PSA case. The seal is going to be a lot better than if you had just put a card sleeve around it, after all.
Do remember that PSA does change the type of slab that it uses on occasion. This means that while this information may be valid now, the case may change in the future. In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised if, ultimately, they came up with a design that was far better sealed, particularly now as more and more people are starting to see trading cards as a viable collectible item.
How Durable Are PSA Slabs?
PSA slabs are fairly durable. After all, they are designed to protect cards for the long term.
However, what you need to remember is that PSA slabs can be destroyed. The cards inside of a PSA slab could get bent if you are not treating the PSA slab with proper care.
Yes. Your cards are going to be a whole lot better protected than they would be if you opted to put them in just a card sleeve. However, you are still going to need to pay proper attention to your cards. This means ensuring that they are stored in a cool, dry location.
If you have a valuable card, then we do recommend that you try and get it graded by PSA. This is because while their slabs are not going to be perfect, they are going to be far superior to any other option that you can use to protect your cards.
Final Thoughts
PSA slabs are not airtight. They are not watertight either. This means that if you do have a PSA slab wrapped around your card, you need to ensure that you protect it properly. If you do not, then you run the risk of damaging your cards.
PSA slabs are durable, and they are considerably better than card sleeves. Therefore, if you have a valuable card and can afford it, we suggest that you use a PSA slab wherever possible.
Remember, when your cards are put in a PSA slab, it is vital that you keep your cards in a cool, dry location.