# How to Store & Protect Your Riftbound Cards

_2026-06-12 · RiftCompare_

Sleeves, top-loaders, binders and boxes — a plain-English guide to keeping your Riftbound cards (and their value) in mint condition.

A Riftbound card's condition is a big part of its value — a Near Mint copy can be worth far more than a played one. Here's how to protect your cards properly, whether you're holding a chase card or just keeping a deck tidy.

## Why condition matters

Prices on RiftCompare assume **Near Mint (NM)** — the benchmark condition. As cards pick up whitening, scratches, dents or bends they drop through Lightly Played, Moderately Played, Heavily Played and Damaged, and each step down means a lower price. Protecting a card is the cheapest way to protect its value.

## The basics: sleeves

Every card you care about should be in a **sleeve**. There are two main types:

- **Penny sleeves** — cheap, thin, soft plastic. Perfect as a first layer for storage and bulk.
- **Deck sleeves** — sturdier, often coloured or art-printed, made for shuffling and play. If you're actually playing with a deck, these are what you want.

For valuable cards, the collector standard is **double-sleeving**: a snug "perfect fit" inner sleeve, then a standard sleeve over the top, so dust and moisture can't creep in.

## For valuable singles: top-loaders & one-touches

- **Top-loaders** are rigid plastic holders that stop a sleeved card from bending — ideal for posting cards or storing your best singles.
- **Magnetic "one-touch" holders** are premium display cases for your grails (signatures, chase alt-arts). Make sure you buy the right thickness for foils or thicker cards.

Never put an unsleeved card straight into a top-loader — the card can rub against the plastic.

## For collections: binders & boxes

- **Binders** with side-loading pockets are great for sets and showing off a collection. Avoid old PVC binders (they can damage cards over time) — look for acid-free, side-loading pages.
- **Storage/deck boxes** keep bulk and built decks organised. Keep everything somewhere cool, dry and out of direct sunlight — heat and UV fade cards and warp foils.

## Foils need extra care

Foil cards are more prone to **curving** as the foil layer reacts to humidity. Double-sleeving helps them lie flat, and storing them under light, even pressure (in a packed binder page or a tight box) keeps them straight.

## Quick checklist

- Sleeve everything you care about; double-sleeve the good stuff.
- Top-loader or one-touch for valuable singles and anything you post.
- Acid-free, side-loading binders for sets; cool, dry, dark storage.
- Keep foils flat and away from humidity.

Looking after your cards keeps them at the condition our prices assume — so when you check a card's value on the **[database](/browse)**, that's the value you'll actually get. New to buying? Start with **[where to buy Riftbound cards](/guides/where-to-buy-riftbound-cards)**.

Source: https://riftcompare.com/guides/how-to-store-and-protect-riftbound-cards