Whether you are going away to college or putting your cards away for a few weeks or months of storage, it is important to know how and where to store them. Places to store them include attics, garages, basements, closets, and storage units. For a variety of reasons, you should not store your cards in the attic. Attics are not climate controlled and this means temperatures can vary greatly.
If you must store your cards in the attic, make sure to properly preserve them. Carefully place them in card boxes. Card boxes should be kept in plastic storage bins, if possible, to protect the cards from moisture. The ideal place to store your cards would be in a climate-controlled storage unit or in a closet in your house so long as you have both a heater and air conditioner so that your house stays climate controlled.
If you do not have a good closet and cannot afford or do not want a storage unit, then the garage or basement are your only other options. The garage is more likely to get too hot than the basement. However, a basement is more likely to be damp than a garage. Whichever you choose, make sure you take the proper precautions to preserve your cards as best you can.
Can You Store Baseball Cards in the Attic?
You can do anything that is physically possible, therefore you can store baseball cards in the attic. However, baseball cards stored in attics have a number of potential dangers that can and will damage them over time.
The biggest danger to baseball cards stored in an attic is temperature and humidity. If you live in a region that is cold in the winter and hot in the summer, then the attic is not a safe place for your cards. Valuable cards can be severely damaged by the changes between hot and cold.
Attics are at the top of the house which means they are the hottest place in your house. They are also not always insulated and sealed well. Badly insulated attics will be even worse with temperature change. Badly sealed attics will let in moisture and humidity.
Moisture can get inside the protective card sleeve commonly used to protect cards. This moisture builds up and damages the cards.
Can Heat Ruin Baseball Cards?
Heat can ruin baseball cards. Heat can warp the paper and damage the images. If you are storing your cards in plastic, high temperatures can melt the plastic or fuse the cards into the plastic cases.
If your cards are being stored in a binder or storage drawer and are being compressed by plastic shielding, they are even more likely to fuse to the protective shielding. When removed the face of the cards will come off, irreparably damaging them.
How to Safely Store Baseball Cards in the Attic
Baseball cards should only ever be stored in the attic if the temperature and humidity is consistent throughout the year. In addition, that consistent temperature and humidity needs to be of a variety that is safe for cards. Typically, this would be in the 60 ℉ range.
Most attics are not safe for storing baseball cards. If the attic is the only place for you to store your cards, then take the following steps to protect your cards as much as possible. In addition, check your cards at least once a month. If you notice any damage at all, remove them from the attic immediately and try to find them a new home.
Attic Storage Tips
- Store cards in card sleeves that are the right size. *If you live in an area where it gets hot it may be safest to either forgo card sleeves or use the heavy-duty versions.
- Store card sleeves with cards in card storage boxes.
- Store card storage boxes in plastic storage boxes to protect them from rodents, bugs, and moisture.
- Put a dehumidifier in the attic.
- If you live in an area with extreme temperatures, you will also want to keep a portable air conditioner and portable heater up there so you can regulate the temperature.
- Check your cards frequently for damage during extreme conditions.
- Continue to think about other places you can put them in case you have to move them.
Things to consider: If you have both rare and common cards. Store the common cards in the attic and find a place for a card box of your rarest cards in the house.
We recommend using these BCW Baseball Card Storage Boxes to store hundreds and even thousands of baseball commons. It is the most cost and space effective method for storage.
Best Way to Store Baseball Cards
The best way to store your cards is to rent a climate-controlled storage unit. This is also the most expensive way to store your cards. However, if you want to safely preserve your cards away from the dangers of heat, cold, and humidity there is no better place.
If a storage unit is not an option, trying to find a closet within your house would be safest as houses tend to be more climate controlled than attics, garages, or basements. If you are storing your cards in a closet, make sure they are kept away from any heating vents.
If you cannot store them in the house and need to store them in the garage, store the cards in card boxes inside of plastic boxes to prevent mice, rats, and other pests from getting in. You may want to follow the recommendations above and keep a heater, air conditioner, and dehumidifier in the garage.
If you have a basement, you can store cards there however basements have their own set of problems. Basements are often more climate controlled than attics or garages which makes them better. However, basements are more likely to get damp or mildewy so it will be imperative that your cards be stored in plastic bins. In addition, a dehumidifier would be helpful in your basement.
Final Thoughts
Where you choose to store your baseball cards will be determined by the value of your cards, both monetarily and personally, as well as the climate and weather in your area. If you cannot afford a storage unit, storing the cards in a cool, dark closet within the house is your next best option.
The attic is the worst-case scenario for storage of baseball cards. Remember to check your cards often if you store them in the attic, basement, or garage. Do your best to control the temperature and humidity as much as possible.
If you absolutely do not have any other place to store them, it may be time to consider selling them. If you are keeping them and hoping to make money off them, then selling them while they are still in pristine condition is best. Now that you have all the facts you can best decide what to do with your baseball cards.