Why Preserving Matters
A sealed booster box that spends three years in a damp shed is worth less than the same box that has been kept dry and dark. Shrink wrap discolors, cardboard warps and corners go soft. That's a shame, because it's largely preventable.
The four enemies
1. Light
UV light makes printing fade. A box on a windowsill visibly loses color on its top within a year. Store sealed products in the dark: in a cabinet, a closed box or a drawer.
2. Moisture
Moisture is the biggest culprit. Cardboard absorbs it and swells, shrink wrap can fog up, and in the worst case you get mold spots. That's why attics and basements are bad places, and garages too.
A living space with normal humidity — roughly 40 to 55 percent — is fine. If you're unsure, put a cheap hygrometer next to it.
3. Temperature swings
It's not the temperature itself but the change that's the problem. Warmth during the day and cool at night makes materials expand and shrink, and that pulls the shrink wrap loose. An interior wall is better than an exterior wall, and a middle floor better than an attic.
4. Pressure and weight
Boxes at the bottom of a stack get dented corners. And a dented corner costs value immediately, even if the contents are untouched.
In practice: how we do it
- Upright or flat, but consistently. Lay boxes flat on top of each other, no more than three or four high, or stand them upright side by side like books. Not at an angle.
- Leave them in the original case. Have a complete case? Keep it closed. That's the best protection there is.
- Protective cases for single boxes. There are clear, made-to-measure protectors for booster boxes. They keep out dust and scratches without touching the shrink wrap.
- Don't wrap them in plastic. Plastic wrap or airtight bags actually trap moisture. Let the cardboard breathe.
- Away from the heating. Even from a radiator that's only on now and then.
Shipping and transport
Most damage doesn't happen in the cabinet but in transit. If you ship a box yourself, use a carton that fits exactly, with padding all around. Play means movement, and movement means dented corners.
That's why we pack in snug-fitting cartons with padding. A box that leaves here in perfect condition should arrive in perfect condition too.
So when do you open it?
That's a choice you can only make once. An opened box is immediately worth considerably less than a sealed one. So decide in advance whether you're buying to open or to put away — and if need be, buy two.
Read more about that decision in why buy sealed.