Inherited cards: first 48 hours

Inheriting a card collection puts you in a situation most people aren't prepared for: unfamiliar items that might be worth a lot, or might be worth nothing, and no easy way to tell. The first 48 hours set up either a good outcome or an avoidable loss.

The do-no-harm rule

Before you sort, move, or handle anything, photograph it in place. This sounds slow — it's not. Five minutes of wide-angle photos of bins, binders, and storage areas creates a baseline you'll reference repeatedly and a record of original condition.

The most common first-48-hour mistake is stacking loose cards face-down on a table. This bends corners, scratches surfaces, and mixes stacks that were organized by the original collector. Don't do it.

What to document immediately

1. All storage containers. Bins, binders, boxes, tins. Photo each container closed, then open.
2. Any visible standouts. Holographic cards (they shimmer when tilted), cards in hard cases or toploaders, anything in a special sleeve. These often represent the highest value.
3. Storage conditions. Note if the area smelled musty, felt humid, showed watermarks, or was in a hot attic. This affects condition — and therefore value — significantly.
4. Rough count. You don't need to count every card. Estimate bin or binder sizes ("roughly 5 binders, 500–800 cards each").

What not to do

Don't do the "corner bend test." Some online guides suggest bending a card corner to check print quality. This destroys cards. Never bend.

Don't try to peel apart stuck cards. If any cards are stuck together from humidity or age, leave them. A buyer or conservator can assess. Pulling them apart tears the card face.

Don't separate and sort unless you know what you're doing. Sorting by set, era, or character takes experience. If you mix up a 1st Edition holo with unlimited copies without recognizing the difference, you lose the value signal. Leave organization as-is.

When to get a professional assessment

If you found:

• Cards in hard plastic cases or graded slabs (a company name on the slab label: PSA, CGC, BGS)
• Cards in team bags or toploaders (signs of someone who treated them carefully)
• Visible "shadowless" or "1st Edition" stamps (even if you don't know what they mean)

...you likely have something worth more than bulk. Take extra photos, store somewhere stable, and contact a buyer before moving anything.

Stable storage until you're ready

A clean, dry room at normal indoor temperature (65–75°F) is fine for a few weeks. Keep cards off the floor and away from direct sun or heat vents. A plastic bin with a loose lid (not sealed airtight, which traps humidity) works well.

What to send us

You don't need to know what you have to start a quote. Send wide photos of the storage setup, note anything that looked different or special, and we'll guide the next steps from there.