How do you store your Magic Colllection?

[Que]

Hi all,

I'm currently working on sorting and storing my collection, however, it got me wondering how other people store their cards. i.e. do you guys use multiple binders (some collections can be big so I'm not sure how viable this becomes)? Do you use a specified Count Box, a shoebox? etc.. lol Do your Rare cards and your Commons/Uncommons receive the same treatment?

I'm trying to find the most logical way to store my cards as well as space saving so its not an eyesore staring at a bunch of stacked up cards heh. One thing I don't like about storing cards in Count boxes is having to sift through the tops of your cards to find X card. I always feel like I might damage some of them, even if they're in sleeves. But that last bit may just be paranoia on my end.. I mean they do store the most.

Bonus Question: Do you guys catalog your collection?

[lochlan]

Every card inside perfect fits, stored in 800ct long boxes. I have two main boxes, Creatures/Lands and Spells--plus some others for basic lands, junk commons, etc. Each box has its own organization method, but basically I start with WUBRG order. The spells box has started to get too big so I've moved artifacts into creatures/lands. I still wouldn't have enough room for my collection, but I have ~10 decks built/half-built at a given time. I've been storing my cards like this for a long time and have never damaged them by looking through them--although I'm also extremely careful with everything I handle.

Anything worth over $40 goes into a perfect fit, a penny sleeve, and a top loader, and goes into a stack of money cards--but I've been looking for a better way to store those. Partially I just want to be extra careful with these cards, but the money cards also tend to get moved around more.

Binders are a huge waste of space and IMO are also a riskier way to store cards (especially if you use C rings). The only binder I use is for trades.


Bonus Question: Do you guys catalog your collection?

Nope, I just remember what's in it :) That system has backfired a few times (i.e. I've bought duplicates on 3-4 occasions), but only for cards worth under $3. I do have a lot of my collection entered into TCG Player's collection section, so I can get a rough estimate of its value.

I hope this helps!

[Dan Turner]

for playables (cards over $1 or so) I use the gift box boxes with sleeves and perfect fits. For anything $5+ they are in binders.

for other "junk" I just use the big 5k count white boxes, they sit there until either they get broken somehow and become playable or I make a trip to the shop that I sell bulk to. I do keep 4x of every card I come across just for my playset collection.

[phazonmutant]

I have one of those cardboard boxes (not sure on count) that I store everything in. Everything is in perfect fits, sorted in WUBRG, Multi, Colorless, Lands, then sorted by mana cost, separated by extra sleeves. I think sorting alphabetically is too much work, and cards are still easy to find with a cost sort. I bent a Marsh Flats once when I wasn't being careful and just jammed a pile in the box, but otherwise I think everything is safe.

I do have a pile of vaguely playable unsleeved commons that I use that to fill up space in the box.

If you're concerned about damaging cards, try taking a stack out when you search for a card. That way you don't bend them at all.

I catalog the expensive stuff on tcgplayer, but it doesn't have any way to list condition or language. I've been working on and off writing a collection management application, but haven't worked on it in a while.

[Bed Decks Palyer]

http://www.gsm4u.cz/Obrazy/T-Mobile_taska_Puma-Vanoce_2003.jpg

Boxes in bag. Needless to say, lots of my cards are prety battered. I should use closeable boxes instead of the ones from Ultra Pro sleeves - that way I wouldn't ruin the top edges of my cards every time I look through the bag.
More expensive cards are in binder. Pro tip: never use the slots right next to the rings. People who are lazy to completely turn the pages will damage your cards as they'll bend them over those rings.

[phazonmutant]

http://www.gsm4u.cz/Obrazy/T-Mobile_taska_Puma-Vanoce_2003.jpg

Boxes in bag. Needless to say, lots of my cards are prety battered. I should use closeable boxes instead of the ones from Ultra Pro sleeves - that way I wouldn't ruin the top edges of my cards every time I look through the bag.
More expensive cards are in binder. Pro tip: never use the slots right next to the rings. People who are lazy to completely turn the pages will damage your cards as they'll bend them over those rings.

You and SdeMatt are all about these bags...

I don't really get why people still use those 3-ring binders. UltraPro and Monster both make very decent binders that don't have rings and are actually easier to put cards in than the sleeve pages.

[Bed Decks Palyer]

You and SdeMatt are all about these bags...

I don't really get why people still use those 3-ring binders. UltraPro and Monster both make very decent binders that don't have rings and are actually easier to put cards in than the sleeve pages.

I'd store the cards elsewhere if a) I had place for them and b) they weren't already damaged.
I use that binder by rote. Also: I never noticed that people destroy my cards (must be because I hate to trade) until recently when a guy told me that this happens quite often.

[apple713]

all commons, uncommons, sleeve, tokens, and random crap in 7x 5000 count boxes sitting in a corner of the house.

all rares of little value in 2 binders organized by set. about 5,000 rares.

all good rares and foil $10+ seperate binder. 1000 count

28 complete sets sit in binders in the corner collecting dust.

All $100+ cards in a binder that holds maybe 100 cards

fetches and duals that are part of my playsets that are not in decks get a seperate small binder 100 cards maybe

All EDH decks have a long 1000 count box plus there are more decks floating around somewhere

other decks are in their individual boxes.

then I have 4x 1000 count boxes full of miscellaneous rares and uncommons i build decks from

All cards of value are double sleeved so even if they are in a box i dont have to worry. Granted if a fire comes im pretty fucked. Which is why i want to buy a fire/water proof safe to keep the 2 binders in with a couple deck ($100+ binder and duals playset binder) I should probably just get it insured tho.

I catalog my collection by rare, uncommon, and common, then by set. This makes it easy to find cards in the 5000 count boxes. If its rare its in a binder. If its common or uncommon i'll sift through a small stack to find it. If i've played with it recently I'm digging through 1 of the 4x 1000 count boxes.

If i've organized the set into a complete set then its all alphabetized.

Use the 5000 count boxes for commons and uncommons. If your really worried about damaging them then they hold value and should be in perfect fits anyways.

[GoblinSettler]

My goal is one monster binder per deck. This works out nicely for Goblins. But it starts to break down for everything else. Storm is mostly contained. Tempo and Control share a binder. There's another binder for lands and sideboard cards that get shared across decks. Miscellaneous valuable cards end up in there too as space allows.

I like being able to quickly flip through my options when putting a deck or sideboard together. This setup makes me long for extra playsets of blue fetches so I can fully compartmentalize ANT the way I have Goblins. Guess I could always stop playing non-combo blue. Easier than shelling out for another set of blue fetches.

One long box of misc cards for casual, edh, and nostalgia purposes. A short box for basic lands and tokens. A short box for built edh decks.

There's always a stack of a couple hundred unsorted cards on my desk from building and taking stuff apart. I want to get those put away but I never quite finish.

[mini1337s]

Anything of value ($20+) is in perfect fits inside Monster Binders which are stored in a Fireproof safe (Link to the one I use, which fits Monster Binders nicely (up to 5) (http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/sentrysafe-model-hd4100-waterproof-file/10042495?trail=SRCH%3Asafes&fromPLP=true&ancestorID=alldept&searchString=safes&startSearch=yes&fromSearchBox=true&addFacet=SRCH%3Asafes)). $5-20 are stored in perfect fits in a 800 count box. Under $5 are unsleeved in an 800 count box.
I debulked about a year ago, and will never go back. I'd rather have $5 per 800 than boxes upon boxes of bulk.

[Einherjer]

All Legacycards, even good looking basiclands, are in Double-Sleeves in my Binders. All the other is sorted by Edition and Color in some boxes somewhere in the house. Didn't touch them since a year or what.

Greetings

[jamesh]

Flat folders and cards individually sleeved in penny sleeves - they're usually stacked more tidily than this:
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh308/jamesham/20130812_171852_zps985bb399.jpg (http://s259.photobucket.com/user/jamesham/media/20130812_171852_zps985bb399.jpg.html)

[Bed Decks Palyer]

:eek:

So, I needed this thread more than two aspirins. If there's anything that may support my idea to cash out, then it's definitely an amount of tenured and paperworks that is connected with MtG collections.
Sadly it looks like I'll never sell the cards, because every time I open the bag, I may vomit right into it.

[socialite]

KMC Perfect Fit - KMC Hyper Matte (Black) - tightly fit into 300 count cardboard storage boxes. Binders are for people who like their foils warped, cards stolen, and/or damaged by various forms of liquid.

[Dan Turner]

:eek:

So, I needed this thread more than two aspirins. If there's anything that may support my idea to cash out, then it's definitely an amount of tenured and paperworks that is connected with MtG collections.
Sadly it looks like I'll never sell the cards, because every time I open the bag, I may vomit right into it.

If your cards are damaged you will not be able to sell out about the best you can do is pass it on to a new player. Had a store refuse to take a bunch of beat duals in trade once since they said they could never sell them. But that was 10 years ago also, now I am the one looking for the beat cards since I can usually get them for up to half or more off the regular ebay prices. usually if its a card worth less then $10 and its beat I won't even look at it.

[rockout]

I have boxes of legacy playables that are less than 5 bucks in sleeves in 1,000 count boxes. I have the super expensive stuff in 100 card small binders or in deck boxes in sleeves that basically never go anywhere. God I want to cash out this monstrosity as well.

[barcode]

Currently moving towards this system (http://revisedangel.tumblr.com/post/55516954264/magical-mess-get-it-together). Every card alphabetized and a playset of each card grouped by penny sleeve (ie 4 Delver of Secrets in a sleeve in the D section). I'll probably prune the garbage cos when will anyone play Pillarfield Ox?

I've still got about 12,000 cards to sort. :(

[.dk]

I keep bulk stuff in boxes sorted by block/set/color. Uncommons/Rares in the $1-5 range as well as cards that I might be accessing frequently I keep in 3 ring binders sorted by color. Anything more expensive than that are in Ultra-Pro binders sorted by color in a fireproof/waterproof safe.

[GoblinSettler]

Currently moving towards this system (http://revisedangel.tumblr.com/post/55516954264/magical-mess-get-it-together). Every card alphabetized and a playset of each card grouped by penny sleeve (ie 4 Delver of Secrets in a sleeve in the D section). I'll probably prune the garbage cos when will anyone play Pillarfield Ox?

I've still got about 12,000 cards to sort. :(

I really like the idea of playsets in penny sleeves. Mulling over alphabetized versus alphabetized per color. I'll have to try it.

[Bed Decks Palyer]

If your cards are damaged you will not be able to sell out about the best you can do is pass it on to a new player. Had a store refuse to take a bunch of beat duals in trade once since they said they could never sell them. But that was 10 years ago also, now I am the one looking for the beat cards since I can usually get them for up to half or more off the regular ebay prices. usually if its a card worth less then $10 and its beat I won't even look at it.

Their not completely wasted. Also, shops already started to buy some cards in played condition. Moreover I wish to start selling amongst players, because I'd get better prices and I also want the people to touch and examine the cards.

[Giants1990]

I have a binder for each color. Lands and artifacts share a binder. Playsets are penny sleeved and put into a pocket. Common/ uncommon sets are in 3200ct boxes, again each playset goes into a penny sleeve. Binders work great as it's only me who looks through them since I don't trade. I inventory everything on deckbox.org so I have a rough idea of the value for insurance purposes.

[r3dd09]

I currently have blinders for standard, modern, legacy, etc. I also have boxes of semi junk rares (edh jank) and deck boxes/boxes with cards in them. I'm in the process of buying some collections, so I'm going to organize and catalog everything.

Might go the route of playsets in penny sleeves in 800 count boxes, but I love my 4 pocket binders...

[barcode]

I currently have blinders for standard, modern, legacy, etc. I also have boxes of semi junk rares (edh jank) and deck boxes/boxes with cards in them. I'm in the process of buying some collections, so I'm going to organize and catalog everything.

Might go the route of playsets in penny sleeves in 800 count boxes, but I love my 4 pocket binders...

You can still use the binders to store excess cards, that's the best part. Existing storage infrastructure is still useful.

[Que]

Thanks for the insight. It really seems like preference from where I'm standing. Everyone seems to have a system that works for them. But there are a lot of great ideas I can use as far as storing my own collection!

[GnuHouse]

Holiday Gift Box for playables. My collection is more current, so I have a row for Standard, and a row for Modern/Legacy. Third row is fancier basic land (Unglued, Zendikar, etc), foreign cards, and stuff I hoard (Supply//Demand, Korean BB Dark Rituals). Each row is sorted BUGRW, Multicoloured, Artifacts, and land. Nothing in the box worth more than a couple of dollars, unless I want to keep them in which case they get sleeved in Perfect Fits and stored in the box.

For bigger stuff they go into the binders. I'm running three Ultra Pro binders at the moment. One is Standard, sorted according to rotating blocks (so M13-INN-DKA-AVR and M14-RTR-GTC-DGM), with more valuable stuff near the front of the section and the chaff afterwards. Modern and Legacy is another, with no real sorting system other than fetchlands near the front. This will likely get split come September as I'll need to make room for the rotating stuff, so Legacy will get its own binder again. Third binder is promo cards, foreign stuff, etc. Sorted according to type, so different types of promos (FNM, GP, MPR, Game Day) are all together. I also run a smaller (4 card/page) binder for stuff like non-basic land that I use often.

As for cataloging, I've got iMTG on my phone. I use that to inventory my binders, as well as keep track of what I'm looking for. If I'm in one of my trading periods it can be a bit of a pain to keep up to date. However, it does hook up with TCGPlayer so I can keep track of value pretty easily

[apple713]

Anyone have opinions on the Monster binders vs the sideloading ultra pro's?

[Admiral_Arzar]

I have a couple of large binders that I use to store rares and other expensive cards (sorted by color, CMC, and alphabetically). The uncommons, commons, and lands each have their own large box with varying degrees of organization. I would honestly prefer to have everything in binders, but I would need to buy several more large binders and literally hundreds of 9-card pages. Yeah, binders aren't necessarily the safest way to store things, but the binders of staples never actually leave my house so there aren't really any issues there. I have a much smaller binder for trades that I carry around.

[GoblinSettler]

Anyone have opinions on the Monster binders vs the sideloading ultra pro's?

Monster binders feel sturdier. Pockets can be tight for sleeved cards. The hologram finish may be desirable or not.

Ultra Pro binders cost less money. Pockets are designed to hold cards in sleeves and there's plenty of room for that. Naked cards can slide out if you are flipping through with abandon. The elastic strap that keeps the binder closed may be desirable for binders that travel about.