The first step when sorting old baseball cards is to gather all the cards you have in one place. Carefully remove any cards stored in boxes, binders, or other containers and lay them out in one large area. This will allow you to see the full scope of your collection and get organized.
Once all the cards are together, you’ll need supplies to properly sort and store them. It’s a good idea to have penny sleeves to protect individual cards, magnetic or top loader sheets to hold the penny sleeved cards, binders or boxes to store the sorted cards, page protectors or sheets to organize the cards in binders, and labels to identify different subsets of cards within your collection. Having the right supplies will make the sorting process much smoother.
With your cards and supplies ready, it’s time to start sorting. There are a few different primary categorizations you can use: by sport, by team, by player, by year or decade, or a combination of these. Decide which method works best for the scope and focus of your collection. A baseball card collection could be sorted first by sport to separate baseball cards from others you may have, then further sorted by specific baseball teams.
Next, you’ll want to sort your baseball cards within each team subset. Here are some common ways to organize team cards: alphabetically by player’s last name, numerically by uniform number, chronologically by player’s career year or rookie card year. Placing the cards in numerical or alphabetical order makes them easy to quickly find later when looking for a specific player.
As you sort each team subset, also consider further divisions within them. Rookie cards, star players, hall of famers – these are common categories collectors pull out. You may want to highlight valuable and key cards in some way, like putting them in magnetic sheets rather than penny sleeves. Sorting in this level of detail gets your collection very organized.
Another strategy is to sort cards not just by team, but also simultaneously by year or decade of issue. This captures the historical context and changes over time better than just sorting by team alone. You could have sub-subsets of 1950s Yankees cards, 1960s Red Sox cards, etc. This multi-dimensional sorting gives your collection additional richness and narrative.
As you handle and review each card, take note of condition and keep higher grade cards separate. There are well established grading scales like the 1-10 point scale from the Professional Sports Authenticator company (PSA). Sorting by condition tier, like “excellent”, “good”, “poor”, makes it easy to find investment-quality cards later. Documenting condition is important for value.
Once your overall sorting is complete, it’s time to store your organized collection. Three-ring binders with sheet protectors or card pages work well. Arrange the sorted team subsets/categories in alphabetical or other logical order within the binder. Similarly, you can sort subsets into labeled boxes with dividers. The key is having a clear, consistent system anyone can follow to find specific cards.
With your collection now meticulously organized, maintain it going forward. Create a simple database or spreadsheet to track valuables. Periodically review for condition changes or new acquisitions. Consolidate any duplicate cards. Keep binders/boxes in good, safe condition away from direct light/heat sources. A well sorted, stored, and cataloged collection preserves decades of memories and makes your cards easier to research, showcase, and potentially sell one day if desired. With some initial work, you’ll have a baseball card collection you can enjoy for years to come!
