Whether new to the hobby or a seasoned collector, the protection and condition of one’s cards are important.
From trading cards to sports cards, card sleeves are an important part of keeping your cards looking the best for years to come.
Though not always looked at with much importance, we can easily see the benefits these thin pieces of material offer our cards.
The benefits of card sleeves and their use include:
- Physical Protection
- Shielding From Dirt and Liquid
- Increasing Handling and Usability When Playing With Cards
Let’s dive into the world of card sleeves, expanding on the benefits they offer, and see why they should be used by every card collector.
Physical Protection
One of the best benefits that card sleeves will provide is their protection against scratches and gouges.
It is a terrible feeling when looking to have a pristine card one to find some type of scratch or gouge be it from handling, or sliding it in and out of a pile or top loader.
The card sleeve adds a layer of protection that prevents dirt, fingernails, or generally anything that can leave a scratch or gouge while sliding or moving the card.
Much like a glove on a hand, this is one of the best ways to prevent scratches from occurring.
Card sleeves also have the added benefit of protecting from rips and bends, though not an absolute solution, the thin layer of protection will add some ridgedness compared to unprotected cards that are at higher risks of these common threats.
Physical protection with card sleeves is also given when using toploaders.
The main goal of toploaders is to help protect cards from physical damage with their rigid structure, helping to remove the risk of corner damage, and scratches, however, they still have a larger opening compared to sleeves.
Using sleeves in conjunction with toploaders gives a better chance of preventing dust and other particles from reaching the card.
The sleeve also provides a barrier between the card and toploader, so that when removing the card it protects the card from anything that might have gone into the toploader.
For cards with signatures, it has the added benefit of preventing the ink from sticking to the toploader which can occur over time.
Shielding From Dirt and Liquid
Contaminants like dirt and liquid can do great harm to your cards.
Dirt can affect both in grading terms as a dirty card will grade lower, and in terms of adding risk of scratches.
Liquids either from accidental spills where your cards may be stored, or moisture getting inside your card storage, liquid can cause warping and staining to the cards affecting their look, condition, and overall value.
Card sleeves provide an extra layer to keep any type of liquid from getting onto the card, as well as any other elements that could cause harm to your cards.
Helping With Card Handling
Handling your cards can put them at risk of dirt, and oil from the skin that can cause damage over time.
Card sleeves add a layer to protect them while being handled.
This is especially beneficial for cards used consistently like in Magic: The Gathering and other card games that require handling.
Another added benefit of sleeving these cards is making it easier to shuffle through while playing and reducing the wear and tear of the cards over time.
Finding The Right Card Sleeves For You
Card sleeves come in a variety of sizes and features that may benefit some cards over others. This would include some that are better suited for cards being used while playing like Magic The Gathering, and others that increase preserving the cards that are wanting to be graded or have autographs that need to help be prevented from fading.
To learn more about what card sleeves will work best for your specific type of cards. Read the article I wrote all about it.
Final Thoughts
Card sleeves provide a vast amount of benefits for all types of cards.
Whether they are cards being collected, stored, or used, adding sleeves to hold cards in can provide added protection both immediately and for the future, which is also a cost-effective way to do so.
Remember that for card sleeves to provide these benefits most effectively, it’s important to choose the correct size of sleeve. To learn how to find the right sleeve size for your card, you can read my article I wrote all about it.
Card sleeves are an investment in the life and condition of an art collection, ensuring that the cards will remain pristine and in the same condition as the day you got them.
Embrace the benefits that these sleeves can bring to your collection, and the hobby to help add the benefits and protection they deserve.