Collecting is great! There's no denying it if you're an enthusiast! But if, like us, you want your collection to last, you're bound to have wondered how best to protect it. Dust, sun, knocks, breakage, tearing… There are many ways in which your collection can be damaged! Don't panic, here's a look at the options for extending the life of your favourite items!
Sleeves
Do you like collectible card games like Magic, Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Keyforge or Flesh and Blood? You'll be familiar with "sleeves", or card protectors, or transparent plastic sleeves. With these, there's no risk of your cards being damaged if you spill water (or any other liquid), touch them with greasy fingers or if the sun hits them too hard! There are many different formats, a summary of which can be found here, so make sure you find out before you buy! Some even talk about "double sleeves": one to protect the card permanently, and the other to allow the protection to be changed when it becomes too worn!
The deck boxes
The other essential partner for card players, the deck box, lets you take your best decks with you to tournaments or to your friends' houses for wild games! Made of plastic, sometimes lined with microfibre to create a cosy little nest for your cards, some of them also contain storage space for dice or accessories to accompany your decks. They usually contain a divider, useful if you need to separate certain cards from the rest. Most of them can now hold at least 80 cards, and even up to 100 cards in a pocket. And while the most basic ones are generally monochrome, there are many boxes illustrated by the greatest artists! Enough to terrify your opponents before you even start playing.
The albums
Another accessory still aimed at card game players, but this time more at collectors than players per se, the albums allow you to store and file your cards in ring binders (in which you can add new sheets) or "binders", or even portfolios (binders with a set number of pages but attached to the cover, so they take up less space). These are essential if you want to exchange documents, protect duplicates or organise your entire collection as you see fit. They come in a range of formats, with or without illustrations. The choice is yours! There are also dividers, which will help you organise your collections more easily.
The toploaders and magnetic card cases
Another way to protect cards! Who would have thought that a little piece of cardboard would need so much protection? And yet! Some cards are so expensive that a simple sleeve is not enough. What's needed is a toploader, a semi-rigid plastic sleeve capable of protecting the card from being folded or otherwise damaged. These are particularly useful when reselling a valuable card or to protect the most valuable cards in your collection. The top version takes the form of an acrylic box, which can be of different thicknesses depending on the level of protection required, and which opens and closes using a magnetic mechanism. It's the ultimate in card protection!
The play mats
The last item on our list aimed at card game players, the playmat, or "playmat", will also protect your cards from dust, grease marks, liquids or the roughness of a table. They also make it easier to pick up the cards that are placed in front of you. Plus, it's so stylish to spread out your mat in front of your opponent's astonished eyes! They come in a multitude of varieties, whether illustrated or not. Some games require specific card placement, so it's a good idea to have an adapted mat. There are even storage units for mats! Usually in tube form, these boxes will help your mats retain their colours and prevent unwanted folding and material damage.
The stands
If you're into action figures and miniatures, you've probably heard of them. There are several types of "stand", or plinth, or "action base", allowing your figure to stand up in any circumstance, to be elevated or held in a dynamic pose. So the wind and the cat don't have to worry! Plinths sometimes have an 'articulated arm' to hold a pose, or a 'peg' (a small peg with a hole to hold a figure's foot). Here too, make sure you ask around to find the base that best suits your mini.
The display cases
Also known as protective boxes, display cases or vitrines, "display cases" come in all shapes and sizes, since they can protect any object! As such, display cases are aimed at all types of collectors who want to showcase their finest pieces. We're talking here, of course, about "small" display cases that can be moved around, not shop windows. Some include a rotating system, others LED lights that will sublimate your collection.
The blisters
Taking the form of small transparent plastic boxes, the "blisters" allow you to safely store your favourite action figures and figurines. Whether you're travelling, reselling or looking to restore the look of a new product, these boxes are easy to open and close, and can usually be hung on a shop pin. Practical for displaying on a wall or shelf! Some versions even allow you to protect the figurine in its original box too, so your figurine retains all its value!
Covers and backboards
Also known as comic bags, pochettes are primarily aimed at fans of comics, comic books and manga. These bags, generally sold in multiples, allow you to slip in your limited editions or your favourite comics without fear of getting water, dust or even UV rays... Yes, even superheroes aren't invincible against these threats! You'll also find a version adapted to the dimensions of mangas. There's also a more rigid version, made of cardboard, called "backboards", which hold your comics upright to prevent folding and creasing. Finally, there are dividers designed to separate your series, as well as storage boxes perfectly adapted to the dimensions of American comics. In short, everything you need to store and preserve your favourite stories.
The protective cases
"Protective cases", or protective boxes, or even protective cases, meet the expectations of the most demanding Funko Pop collectors. One is more flexible, the other more resistant, especially if you store your figures one on top of the other. Either way, these boxes will protect your figures AND their original box... So you can preserve all the value of your precious miniatures!
So let's share our passions and... protect them too! You'll find all these references in our online shop dedicated to the hobbies and passions of the very greatest!
