preserve

Preserving & Displaying Your Collection

Introduction to Preserving & Displaying Your Collection
Removing Cards from Albums
Storage
Display
Insurance

Paper cards are subject to a number of demons - light, water (moisture) rapid temperature changes, dirt and other environmental concerns, Scotch tape and other objects applied to paper, packaging, insects and rodents and humans. Proper care of your religious cards will help to avoid these problems. (Martinus, Rinker, 1994)

Prolonged exposure to light, even indirect light, causes fading. Sunlight and fluorescent light, both rich in ultraviolet radiation, are the main culprits. Excess heat from lights or other sources can cause paper to become brittle. Light also can be a friend to paper. Storing paper in a dark damp environment invites mold. Light helps kill mold. If you do encounter mold first use a soft brush (a photographer's blow-brush works well) to brush off the mold. Then expose the paper to an hour or two of direct sunlight with adequate ventilation on all sides. (Martinus, Rinker, 1994)

Avoid rapid changes in temperature and humidity where you store your cards. A cool, dark and dry storage area is ideal. A relative humidity of approximately 40 - 50% with a temperature of around 65-70 degrees F is ideal for most general paper collections including religious cards. Normally these environmental conditions are not found in basements and attics. Avoid storage near exterior walls, bathrooms or areas near heat sources. The area should be clean and free of insects and rodents. If natural or fluorescent light is necessary, an ultraviolet filtering material should be used. (Smith, 1989)

Dirty cards are unattractive. The tendency of collectors is to want to clean soiled cards. Soft erasers will work to clean the cards but efforts should be gentle, beginning in the margins on the reverse side of the card, so as not to tear or abrade the paper. Avoid working directly on the surface image. (Martinus and Rinker, 1994)

It is recommended that collectors avoid risky attempts to remove water stains. Water baths even with distilled water, may cause irreversible damage by removing stabilizing chemicals in paper. Professionals are trained in safe techniques to bleach out spots and stains and the job should be left to them. (Martinus and Rinker, 1994) Martinus and Rinker further suggest that there is a special place is reserved in hell for individuals who repair paper with Scotch tape. Most commercial adhesive tapes are acidic and once applied they begin to react chemically with paper immediately. Removing dark tape stains is nearly impossible.

One further threat to paper cards is you. Your hands are oily and can transmit dirt. Wash hands thoroughly before and after handling paper. If handling large numbers of cards, wash your hands several times during the handling period.

Removing Cards from Albums

Some turn of the century and even more recent collectors enjoyed their cards so much that they decided to preserve them in scrapbook albums. Unfortunately the adhesive used to preserve the cards in the album may have stained the items. Furthermore, opaque album pages hide hide descriptive information on the reverse of the cards. It can be a challenge to remove cards from an old album in order to display the cards in another format, but it can be done.

If you choose to remove a card that has been glued into an album, begin first by cutting around the card if possible. The excess album page paper can usually be removed safely by immersing the card and the album page in plain cool water. This process, familiar to stamp collectors, is known as "soaking". After the card has peeled away from the paper, and while it is still submersed in water, you may rub your finger gently across the back of the card where it was glued. Rub until the glued areas are no longer slick but smooth. This will eliminate most traces of the glue so the card will no longer be gummy on the back side. Be careful not to rub too hard; you may damage the card. If you are doing a large lot of cards change the water regularly.

It is important to use cool water rather than warm water to avoid fading. Even old cards are surprisingly colorfast and will not fade in the soaking process; however, if you suspect some damage may occur to the card you may want to try another more cautious approach, especially for cards attached to colored paper like the old black album pages. These cards should not be immersed but should be "floated off" with the card facing upward on the surface, leaving the front of the card as dry as possible. You may prefer using a humidor or sweat-box.

Cards should be placed on absorbent paper towels to dry. Drying usually takes a day. Then press them in a book or drying press. If done correctly the card can have a very fresh new appearance.

Storage

Finding a safe universal storage system for religious cards is the key to their preservation. Bible lesson cards are commonly 2 5/8" x 4". Holy cards tend to be narrower at 2 3/8" x 4", however, there is no standard size for religious cards as is found with postcards and other common paper collectibles. Religious cards range in size from miniatures (1 1/2" x 2 3/4") to long narrow bookmarks, to postcard size and larger. Some are cut in the shape of crosses and other unusual shapes. With such a wide range in sizes and shapes and the delicate nature of some of the material makes it a challenge to find an enclosure that fits all cards, yet is consistent for storing a variety of sizes. Most religious cards will fit into a 3 5/8" x 5 3/4" size, 2 or 3 mil thick, polyethylene plastic sleeve commonly used for postcards.

Plastic sleeves allow viewing of the image through the enclosure while reducing damage from handling. Plastic sleeves also effectively enclose the card, protecting it from moisture and sulfides in the air. Unfortunately, under certain conditions plastic enclosures can trap moisture and cause sticking. Be sure to use archival quality plastic enclosures made of polyester (Mylar D @R), polypropylene, tiacetate and polyethylene, - (Melinex #516). All are chemically stable and have a neutral pH.

Mylar is the best material - it is inert, chemically stable and crystal clear; it has high tensile strength, contains no plasticizers and will not become brittle or yellow. Avoid enclosures made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC). It is not chemically stable, and its plasticizers will cause deterioration over a period of time. (University Products, 1992)

For ideal storage and display of delicate lace cards 16 mil polyester toploading sleeves provide the best in stiffness and clarity. A less costly option for lacy cards is the use of acid-free backing boards with the softer polyethylene sleeves. The drawback to using backing boards is that the back side of the card can't be viewed. Mylar/polyester sheets cut to size can serve as a backing material but do not provide the stiffness of the backing boards.

Newer trading cards like the Holy Traders, Heavenly Saints, Ancient Heroes and King's Kards series fit into trading card album sleeves with slots for nine cards to a sleeve. In fact collectors may prefer to store any size cards in albums. Album print holder protectors suitable for 35 mm prints work fine for most religious cards. These album sleeves hold up to four cards (8 back to back) with slots measuring 3 1/2" x 5". Be sure that the album and its storage box are acid free too. Never use the magnetic albums. These albums are made with highly acidic pages and adhesives which actually speed up the deterioration of cards placed in them.

All storage boxes, folders and backing boards should be acid free with an 8.5 pH where possible and have a 3% calcium carbonate buffer added. In addition, all materials should be free of ground wood and lignin when possible. The storage container should be designed to provide physical support and stability while protecting your materials from adverse chemical reactions. Boxes should be comfortably filled, never stuffed. Storage boxes with slanted backs are available for easy viewing without squeezing. (University Products, 1992)

The initial cost of selecting archivally safe materials to store your collection may be costly; however, the life of your collection can be extended many years.

Display

Archivally safe albums are probably the most practical way to share and display religious cards. Temporary displays can be created simply from poster and foamcore board and reusable display board cardholders. Cards are inserted in the transparent holders and pressed onto the board. The cardholders are little more than mylar sleeves with a light post-it like adhesive that will adhere to board but will not damage it. The display board can be changed and used again and again.

Some collectors may wish to mat and frame special cards for display. According to Martinus and Rinker most serious paper collectors prefer framing with acrylic plastic, e.g., Plexiglass, made from an ultraviolet - filtering formula. Frosted non-glare glass is rarely used any longer. Framers should make a capsule that consists of UV-3 filtered Plexiglass, an acid free mat, the card, and an acid free backing board. This is sealed around the edges with clear tape. Two slightly overlapping pieces of Mylar are put on the back. This allows the piece to breathe while providing protection.

Insurance

Another important consideration in protecting your collection is to adequately insure your valuable cards. "Casual hobbyists probably have sufficient protection under their homeowners policy, which typically covers personal property up to half the value of your home. (Coverage is often limited to $2,000 for collectibles like stamps and coins.) Most ordinary homeowners policies don't cover breakage or accidental loss, although a rider can provide broader protection. Serious collectors will want replacement-cost coverage for their cards. With replacement-cost coverage you don't negotiate the value of lost items; you specify their value in your policy and the insurer pays that value without quibbling. Specialty insurance provides that kind of replacement cost and can be purchased for any type of collectible including religious ephemera. Specialty coverage often costs less and covers more risks than a rider on a homeowners policy. Printed list copy should be kept in a safe deposit box or with your insurer." (Kiplinger's, 1997)