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A Top To Bottom Guide on Toploaders
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A Top To Bottom Guide on Toploaders
As collectibles become more, well, collectible, the myriad methods for keeping those precious pieces of paraphernalia clean and undamaged have evolved. But even as the technology for card sleeves, binder pages, and acrylic cases has improved, some of the classics persist to this day. And such is the case with Toploaders, the absolute gold standard for protecting cards and collectibles.Get more news about toploader holder manufacturer,you can vist our website!
Toploaders are the gold standard for protection of paper collectibles, so much so that most grading companies (like PSA or Beckett) require Toploaders for any shipments coming in for grading. You’d be hard pressed to find any gaming store worth their salt without a few prized possessions residing in top loader-style card holders, either in a glass display case or slated in longboxes behind the counter.
Ultra PRO has been the go-to brand for collectible accessories for 70 years for good reason: the consistency, durability, uniformity, and beauty of all of the things we make. And our lines of Toploaders and Toploader accessories specially designed to protect thick cards and collectibles are no different.
What Are Toploaders?
Toploaders are durable, rigid or semi-rigid plastic card cases that are engineered to enclose trading cards in order to keep them clean and protected from the elements while preventing most types of damage. While “penny sleeves” might prevent some dirt and smudging, a thin layer of pliable plastic will not stand up to the more aggressive wear and tear a card might face in its lifetime. Even storage in a longbox for an extended period of time will lead to some amount of exposure to hazards like dust, and usage of Toploaders significantly minimizes that risk. Toploaders operate like very skinny topless boxes, almost like an ammo box without a lid; they have thin but flat sides so as to not damage the cards slid into them, and are most often made from PVC rather than flimsy floppy plastics for even better armor protection.
How Toploaders Protect your Collectibles
Toploaders offer protection in a few simple but important ways. The first is the strong and relatively thick barrier it provides to the front and back of the collectible. Rigid or semi-rigid plastic offers greater protection from outside elements. In addition, the edges provide a safe housing for the corners and edges. Finally, the durable makeup of the PVC prevents most outside microparticles like dust and dirt.What is the difference between Sleeves and Toploaders?
Both trading card toploaders and protective sleeves have an important role to play in the security and safety of your card storage. A toploader provides an outer layer of protection thanks to a semi-rigid or rigid PVC construction, while a traditional protective sleeve is made of much lighter and more flexible plastic. Both feature in protecting standard size cards, with the soft sleeves inside the hard exterior toploader providing two layers of protection. Additionally, toploaders tend to be slightly larger than standard protective sleeves; a traditional soft sleeve will formfit to sports trading cards or gaming cards, while Ultra PRO toploaders can most often be found in 3”x4” size.Sleeving with Thick Toploaders is a MUST!
In much the same way an armored knight needs a gambeson or a boxer tapes their knuckles, it is recommended to protect the card while it is inside the Toploader as well. To that end, it is recommended that collectors slide their precious cards and collectibles into a protective sleeve, like a penny sleeve or another polypropylene sleeve, first before sliding them into their Toploaders. This methodology not only prevents the card from coming into contact with the acidic PVC, which can rub against the card and yellow over time but it also adds an additional layer of protection against dirt, dust, and grime that can occur when in storage or simply when sitting on a shelf waiting for the right buyer.
What Size Toploaders Are There?
The most regularly used Toploader on the market today is our aptly-named Regular Toploader, which is made with 305 micron clear PVC with hand-glued edges. This is the industry standard, and has been the Toploader used by generations of collectors for everything from baseball cards to ticket stubs. Ultra PRO’s Regular Toploader is a product that has been entrusted by thousands of collectors worldwide, and will keep your cards pristine for decades.One rung up in prestige is Ultra PRO’s Premium Toploader; 381 microns and featuring even clearer PVC, Premium Toploaders are just that much more improved on the technology. These Toploaders are slightly thicker and therefore have a different feel than the Regular Toploaders. Recommended for higher-end collectibles, these Toploaders are ready to stand up to stringent testing and most anything a collector would throw at them.
The next evolution is the Ultra PRO Platinum Toploader, which builds upon the technology of the Regular and Premium versions but adds even further in their production quality for maximum clarity. On top of that improvement, these 356 micron thick Toploaders also improve on the edge technology for improved longevity, featuring glue-free casted sealings and a smoother outer edge than their predecessors. These Toploaders are truly the pinnacle of protection available for your precious collectibles.
Finally, the most specialized member of the Toploader line of products at Ultra PRO are the Specialty & Oversized Toploaders. Similar in build to the Regular Toploaders, featuring 305 micron thickness and the tried-and-true seams and edges, these Toploaders can be ordered in larger sizes for things like Pokemon cards, ticket stubs, Planechase or Vanguard cards from Magic: The Gathering, K-Pop photos, maps, flags, pennants, comics, currency, magazines, autographed photographs, or even old wedding invitations!