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How to Protect Sports Memorabilia

As a collector of sports memorabilia, you will have a vested interest in protecting your collection from damage. There are different ways of storing your collection depending on the type of each object, and various companies specialize in selling protective cases for sports memorabilia. The way you decide to protect your collection will depend on budget and the value of the items. Many natural elements like light and dust can damage important items over time.

Instructions

- 1
  Purchase a special protective display case. Store small items like baseballs, hockey pucks and footballs in a UV-shielded case. These cases are transparent but prevent harmful UV rays in sunlight from fading colors on the item.
- 2
  Store paper-based items like trading cards, tickets, magazines, event programs and photographs in an album or plastic sleeve to protect them from sunlight when not in view. When choosing an album or sleeve, make sure the plastic is acid-free to prevent gradual damage to the memorabilia.
- 3
  Place larger items like jerseys in a special, flat UV protected case. Professional companies that specialize in sports memorabilia cases should be able to safely mount and fit your jersey inside a protective case.
- 4
  Insure your items. If you own a large collection, it may be worth having your items appraised to find their value for insurance purposes. Your home insurance often can cover small collections, but you should check with your insurance company to make sure. Insure large or valuable collections independently against loss or damage to protect your investment.

Collecting Memorabilia