Baseball cards are a beloved hobby for many collectors. Properly storing and displaying baseball card collections can be a challenge. That’s where baseball cards mounts come in – they provide an organized way to securely store cards while showing them off.
There are several different types of baseball cards mounts available. One of the most basic is plastic sheet protectors. These are inexpensive plastic sheets that have adhesive on one side. You simply place a baseball card in the sheet protector and seal it to protect the card. Sheet protectors are good for short term storage but aren’t ideal for long-term archiving. Over time, the adhesive can dry out and cards can become stuck or damaged trying to remove them.
A step up from basic sheet protectors are magnetic baseball card mounts. These utilize small round magnets on the back of each mount. Cards are slipped into clear plastic sleeves that have corresponding magnets. The sleeves can then be arranged on a magnetic sheet or board. Magnetic mounts provide protection while allowing easy removal of cards. They also make it simple to rearrange collections. Strong magnets close to the cards could potentially cause issues over decades of storage.
Premium long-term storage options include screw-down baseball card pages. These have clear plastic sleeves that cards slip into. The page then closes via small screws in each corner, compressing a rubber seal tight around the card. When properly closed, screw-down pages create an airtight barrier protecting the card from environmental damage for decades. They also make it easy to access large collections. They require more effort to open/close compared to sheet protectors or magnetic mounts.
Another great storage method is baseball card binders. Multi-pocket pages slip into standard 3-ring binders. Cards go into fitted sleeves that slide easily in and out of the pockets. Binder storage keeps related collections together and allows for expansion as the collection grows. Pages can also be customized by team, player, year, etc. Binders don’t always lay as flat when closed compared to screw-down pages, potentially causing longer term warping issues.
For premium display, many collectors opt for baseball cards display cases. These come in various styles like wall-mounted wood cases, free-standing glass cases, and baseball shaped cases. Cards are fitted into individual sleeves or slots for protection. Display cases showcase high-value collections in style. They are a major investment and don’t allow for easy access to stored cards like binders or magnetic mounts provide.
In addition to the storage and display options above, some collectors get creative with homemade mounts. Common DIY projects include shadowboxes, baseball stitch-patterned frames, display cubes with small magnetic tiles inside, and baseball memorabilia/card collages. Getting crafty can result in truly unique displays for treasured pieces of a collection. Homemade mounts may not provide the same long-term protection as commercial products designed specifically for cards.
When choosing a baseball card mount system, there are several factors to consider including budget, size of collection, need for portability, long-term storage goals, and desired display features. Sheet protectors and magnetic mounts provide affordable options for casual collectors. Screw-down pages and binders excel for long-term organized storage. Display cases create impressive centralized showcases. With so many great choices, any collector is sure to find the perfect mounts to properly house and flaunt their baseball card collection for years to come.
