What Is the Best Way To Display A Card Collection?

When I was putting the finishing touches on my man cave build, I had to figure out how I wanted to display my collection of cards. After looking at the options, I found what works best for my space. In this article, I will talk about some of the things you need to consider, your available options, and their pros and cons.

 The best way to display your collection of cards is either with a framed display or a hanging display case. If you have a smaller collection or want an affordable option, a framed display for your collection is a great idea. If you have a larger collection and want something more secure that will protect your investment, a hanging wall display case is for you.

Before we can talk about the different options, I want you to take a second and think about a few questions. Based on how you answer these questions, you will have a better idea of what display options are best for your situation.

Are Looks Or Protection More Important To You?

The first thing I want you to think about is why are you displaying these cards? Is it more important that these cards are safe and protected? Or is it more important that they are displayed prominently and look good in your room?

It is possible to have both security and style, but usually we sacrifice one for the other. I mean, if you were going for the most security and protection, you wouldn’t be displaying the cards at all! No matter how much protection you have for your cards, when you display them, you are exposing them to light. That light can potentially harm the value of your cards. Although, most plastics and acrylics used for display cases protect against some amount of UV light (which is what is damaging to the cards).

So, which is more important to you? Got an answer? Awesome. Now that you have started to think about what is more important to you, there are a few more questions you will need to answer for yourself.

How Valuable Are the Cards Being Displayed?

How you store your cards is going to depend on how expensive they are. If your cards are super expensive, you will want to protect their value as much as possible. One of the best first steps you can take to preserve the value of your cards is by sending them in to get graded.

Getting your card graded does a couple of things for you. First, it gives your cards an overall condition which helps you have a more concrete value for your collection. Second, they will carefully and professionally seal the card in a protective case. A card in this display case is as safe as it can be. This case is much safer than a top loader.

The more valuable your cards, the safer you will want them to be. You probably aren’t going to want to display your prized collections in a $50 display case. But if your cards aren’t super valuable, then it is probably okay to get a cheaper display case. You are going to know what is best for your situation.

Where Should You Display Your Cards?

However you choose to display your collection, there are going to be multiple options for where to display them. The first thing I would suggest is to not display your cards near a place that is getting a lot of foot traffic. This is especially true if you plan on using something that sticks off the wall as a display. The last thing we want is to be picking up our expensive cards off the floor.

A hanging wall display (which I have) surprisingly looks great just standing on the bar against the wall. Another good spot for these would be on a wall that overlooks a spot where people are usually gathered. If you have multiple cases to hang, It could look awesome if you could stagger them.

If you have kids or you think your guests will have kids, you will want to consider displaying them a little higher off the ground in something with a latching door. It would feel really bad if a guest’s kid ended up getting into your cards and devalued them. You’ll also want to buy displays that are rugged and sturdy.

Now that you have answered those questions, what options are available to you?

In my experience, the two best ways I have found to display your card collection is:

  • A Framed Display
  • A Hanging (Or Tabletop) Display Case

The Good And the Bad For A Framed Display:

The first option you have is to put your cards in a framed display. Compared to everything else, this is going to be your most affordable option. The other great thing about going with a framed display is how compact it is. It will feel no different than having a framed picture on your wall. The other great thing about a framed display is where the focus goes. All the focus will be on the cards you choose to display. Unlike some of my other suggestions, your display won’t steal the show.

A framed display also comes with its downsides. One of the biggest downsides is its lack of protection for your cards. When I am displaying something as fragile as cards, I want the display to give the cards some type of protection. Not all frames are created equal, but the average display frame does not protect your investment as well as some of the other options in this article. I also don’t like how sometimes the cards can shift… This is just my experience, but it seemed important to mention.

Another con of a framed display is its capacity for displaying cards. You will not be able to display nearly as many cards with this as you could with a different case.

Pros:

  • Can Go Anywhere
  • Clean Looking
  • Most Affordable
  • Great For Bringing Attention to A Small Number Of Cards

Cons:

  • Not Super Secure
  • Not Good For Extensive Collections
  • Cards Are Not As Protected

The Good And the Bad For A Hanging (Or Tabletop) Display Case:

The next option you have is a specialized display case that you can either hang on your wall or have sitting on your bar or side table. The design of these is a little more intricate than a simple frame display. I ended up going with a version of a display case. There are a whole bunch of designs available, but the one I bought uses rails to keep plastic card cases in place. This is similar to some of the display cases you can find for graded cards.

The most popular display case style uses compartments to keep your cards contained. That way they aren’t moving freely around the case. If you have graded cards, there are display cases that allow you to just snap those protective cases right into the case. This is the safest your cards can be in a display, hands down.

As you start spending a little more, the display cases start having a glass or acrylic door that latches shut. This gives us a little peace of mind knowing our collection is a little bit more secure. One of the best-kept secrets is this 50 card display case on Amazon. If you take a quick look around the internet, Pennzoni displays have some of the best reviews you can find. For being assembled by hand in the USA, they are pretty affordable too. They even have some cases that lock. These are called “trade show” cases. These trade cases are made to sit on top of a table. So they would be best sitting on your side table.

 These display cases can hold many more cards than other options. I would say an average-sized hanging/tabletop case can hold 50 cards.

For the money you will be paying for this type of display case, they are crazy durable and look great. They are nice enough to draw attention to your cards, but not soooo nice that they steal the focus away from what’s going on in your room or your actual collection. They show that you are proud of the collection you have put together.

As many good things as I’ve said about display cases, this option does have its downsides. There are some pretty nice cheap options for display cases. But you do get what you pay for. You will probably find yourself spending a little more money to get a good quality display case. They also tend to not be as compact as a framed display. So you will need more space for them.

 Pros:

  • More Secure
  • Good For Displaying Larger Collection
  • Affordable Options Available
  • Looks Great For The Cost

Cons:

  • Not the Cheapest Option
  • Can Take Up A Lot Of Wall Space

Final Thoughts:

If I had to give a suggestion, start with a hanging display case. They are affordable, look nice, and are secure. If you are lazy like I am sometimes, there are some options that would look great just standing on a side table or bar.

The frame display is one of those options that is cheap but it is not as good at protecting your cards. It can also potentially damage your cards if they do a lot of moving around in it. There isn’t a worse feeling than damaging something as valuable as your card collection. We want to make sure they are as protected as possible. Sometimes, that means spending a little more money.

If you are looking for the best way to display other collections, you’re in luck! I have written articles on the best way to display a golf ball collection and the best way to display a shot glass collection. Check them out!

I hope this article gave you some direction and ideas for displaying your awesome collection. At the end of the day, go with what stands out to you, and it will be hard to go wrong.

Until next time,

Man Cave Retreat Derek

Derek tends to enjoy the traditional rustic man cave look. He feels that the most important part of a man cave is that it is an authentic display of its creator's hobbies, passions, and personality. Derek enjoys the starting of new projects and the challenge of troubleshooting. He built his man cave from scratch. He took it from an unfinished, uninsulated room to an awesome place to hang out and watch the game.

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