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The Screw Down Collection

We hear from many collectors through our email and via telephone calls engaging in conversations about their collections. Our specialists do a great job assisting these people with their inquiries. A few of the common questions revolve around storage of single cards and sets. We always suggest that the collector explore their options and determine what suits them best but one thing that we frown upon and would implore folks against using screw down holders and always use caution when taking a card out of a screw down holder.

Why Not?

No screw downs? Realyy?  Why not? Most people are surprised when we mention that screw downs are notorious for damaging cards. Unfortunately, screw downs, while protecting cards from external damage, can cause as much or more damage. If too tight, the corners may get squeezed or "glazed" and appear as altered. Other times, like far too many 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan cards that we've seen, may stick to the screw down and remove some of the surface of the card. Another concern is if something is on the surface of the card and gets pressed into the card when the screw down is tightened. There are too many things that can happen when using a screw down and too many of them are not good for the card. While there is the previously mentioned damage that can occur, cards are also subject to slipping out of the holder and they take up a lot of space.

What to Use

When asked, we prefer semi-rigid holders like CardSaver I or UltraPro. While they appear flimsy for storage of a single card, when several are put together, they become quite stable. Our specialists store many of their ungraded, high condition and high value cards in this type of holder. Others may also use rigid top loaders, but we would suggest using a penny sleeve (a thin, inexpensive plastic holder) before placing the card in the top loader (this reduces the chance of movement). Always avoid plastic or polymer products that may contain or be manufactured from PVC (poly vinyl chloride) and look for polypropylene or polyethylene based items as these are more accepted as archival.

A Screw Down Collection

Recently, Just Collect was presented with a small collection of star and rookie cards that were housed in old-school screw downs as you can see in the video at the end of the blog. The cards were not high grade, so there was little concern for damage as the result of the screw downs, but that doesn't change the fact that we were concerned upon immediate inspection.

Rookies, Stars and Hall of Famers

The collection was highlighted by the inclusion of rookie cards of Roger Maris, Pete Rose and Hall of Famers Carl Yastrzemski and Nolan Ryan and football Hall of Fame rookie card of Sonny Jurgensen. Stars included multiple Mickey Mantle cards, Ted Williams, Sandy Koufax, Roberto Clemente, Willie Mays, Stan Musial, footballer stars Jim Brown, George Blanda and Johnny Unitas as well as many others.

We reviewed the cards, received permission to remove the cards from the screw downs to examine more closely and performed the evaluation. Once completed, we discussed the collection with the owner, presented our offer and quickly reached agreement on the purchase of the collection. 

It is important to note that we requested and received permission to take the cards out of the screw downs.  We cannot assume responsibility and will not be held accountable for any card(s) that are forwarded to Just Collect in screw down holders.

Schedule an Appointment to Meet Just Collect at a Show Near You

Just Collect travels to several shows on a regular basis. In the New York area, we often attend the White Plains Show at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, NY. If you're in the New England area, you can make an appointment to meet with one of our specialists when we're in the area for the Shriner's Show at the Aleppo Auditorium in Wilmington, MA. We also visit the Metro-DC area when we attend the CSA Show in Chantilly, VA. If you're in the South Jersey or Delaware area, you can also schedule appointments while we're in the Philadelphia area when we do The Philly Show in Valley Forge, PA.

We set up at The National Sports Collectors Convention every year and this year, it will be at the Stephens Convention Center in the Rosemont section of Chicago, IL and it has also been in Cleveland, Atlantic City and Baltimore in recent years. Additionally, we travel to the Sports Card and Memorabilia Expo in Mississauga, Ontario for those of you in the Toronto area that want to meet with us in Canada.

We would love to meet with you and schedule a private appointment to assess and value your collection while we are in your area, so please check out our show and travel schedule to see when Just Collect will be in your area!

Our Buying Philosophy

We've run into a wide range of people and collections over the past decade. Although we are known for buying vintage sports cards and especially vintage basketball cards, we are also extremely interested in buying non-sports cards, also!

Every collection and every collector is different and we treat EVERY collection with the respect and attention that we show for our own collections. We understand that many have put their heart and soul into building their collection. So when you're ready to sell, Just Collect understands the feelings that you're going through and we will work with you to help you reach a decision that is a WIN/WIN, because if you're not happy, we're not happy.

Won't They Be Worth More if I Grade Them Myself

We discuss all of the selling options with everyone that we meet with. In most cases, selling the collection on their own will put the most money on the bottom line, but it will also take an large commitment of time and energy and one that most are not ready or able to undertake. Another misconception is that grading the collection will return more money. When I hear people say, "You're just going to grade them and get ten times the money," I almost cringe. Grading a collection can be a money losing proposition, especially if you don't know what you're doing. And most times, we grade very few, if any cards, from average collections that we buy.

We value a collection based upon the condition and the value. If a card is worth $100 in a PSA 7 NM, we're going to value it at $100 whether it is ungraded or graded. You can spend hundreds or thousands of dollars grading your cards, but we're still valuing them the same and paying the same regardless of how much you've invested in grading them.

We Are Always Buying

Just Collect is always buying vintage sports and non-sports cards from 1879 to 1979 as well as select modern cards. If you have a collection that you are considering selling, contact us today to discuss your collection and get our industry leading purchase offer. If you have a collection that you want appraised, please contact us and we would be happy to discuss your collection and help you understand the real cash value of your collection in the current marketplace.

Don't hesitate to check out our Google Reviews left by many of the great people that have considered selling collections to Just Collect

"The Screw Down Collection" Video: