⑧How Should You Store PSA- and ARS-Graded Cards? Protecting Holders from Scratches, Humidity, and UV
Because PSA- and ARS-graded cards are sealed in dedicated holders, many people probably feel that they are easier to store than ungraded cards.
In practice, grading holders help protect cards from scratches, dirt, and similar damage.
However, being “inside a case” does not mean you can ignore storage conditions.
If a card is left for a long time in direct sunlight or in a hot and humid place, the card or holder may be affected. Even if the card itself remains unharmed, fine scratches can accumulate on the holder’s surface.
This article explains, for beginners, points to watch when storing PSA- and ARS-graded cards, including UV exposure, humidity, and scratches on the case.
- Why the storage environment matters even for PSA- and ARS-graded cards
- Differences in UV protection between PSA and ARS
- How to protect against UV light and direct sunlight
- Why you should avoid humidity and high temperatures
- How to prevent scratches on grading holders
- Whether you need a dry cabinet or desiccant
The storage environment still matters even when the card is in a grading case
PSA- and ARS-graded cards are sealed in rigid dedicated holders.
Compared with storing an unprotected raw card, this makes it easier to reduce the risk of directly touching the card or having objects strike it.
PSA states that its holder has features that help protect cards from UV light, humidity, and other factors.
ARS likewise states that its holders provide high impact resistance, dust resistance, and water resistance.
However, the fact that water resistance is stated does not mean the holder should be stored with submersion or flooding in mind.
At the same time, neither claim means that a card will never deteriorate no matter what environment it is kept in.
A grading holder is designed to protect the card, but that does not eliminate the need to care about the storage environment itself. Even when a card is in a case, it is better to avoid direct sunlight, hot and humid conditions, and strong impacts as much as possible.
PSA and ARS differ in their UV-protection guidance
PSA and ARS provide different official information about UV protection for their holders.
PSA Japan’s official FAQ states that PSA holders have “50% UV protection”.
In contrast, ARS’s official holder description mentions impact resistance, dust resistance, water resistance, and similar properties, but no specific numerical UV-blocking rate for the holder itself can be confirmed.
Instead, the ARS official online store sells a separate UV-cut film that attaches to the Protect Holder and states that it blocks 99% of UV-A and UV-B.
| Item | Official specification | Official guidance |
|---|---|---|
| PSA holder | 50% UV protection | PSA Japan’s official FAQ states that it provides 50% UV protection |
| ARS holder by itself | No numerical value confirmed | The official holder description does not provide a specific numerical UV-blocking rate |
| ARS official UV-cut film | Blocks 99% of UV-A and UV-B | The separately sold film is stated to block 99% of UV-A and UV-B |
It would not be appropriate to state that “the ARS holder by itself has a 0% UV-blocking rate.” Based on the ARS official information currently available, a specific UV-blocking percentage for the holder itself has not been published.
Also, PSA’s “50%” and the ARS official UV-cut film’s “99%” cannot be compared by the numbers alone because the official pages do not confirm that the measurement wavelengths or testing conditions are the same.
PSA has updated its holder specifications and announced a new holder for standard-size trading cards in 2024. Older holder specifications also exist on the secondary market, so it is better not to assume that all PSA-graded cards from every period have the same performance currently described.
The ARS official UV-cut film uses a UV-absorbing material, and replacement every six months is recommended even when cards are stored indoors away from direct sunlight.
Even if a PSA holder has UV-protection features or an ARS card uses UV-cut film, that does not mean it is fine to expose it to direct sunlight for long periods. For long-term storage, the basic rule is to avoid strong sunlight in the first place.
Avoid direct sunlight and UV exposure as much as possible
Sunlight is an especially important point to watch when displaying graded cards.
Because cards are made of paper and printed materials, long-term exposure to strong light may cause changes such as fading.
Therefore, when displaying graded cards, it is safer to avoid locations such as windowsides where direct sunlight hits for long periods.
If displaying cards in a room, choosing a spot a little away from the window, or a shelf or display case that receives little direct sunlight, can make them easier to manage.
Avoid hot and humid places
The next points to watch are humidity and temperature.
In Japan in particular, room humidity can become high during the rainy season and summer.
Holders provide protection, but that does not mean environmental deterioration such as mold or discoloration can never occur.
It is therefore better to avoid places such as the following.
- Places where humidity tends to build up
- Places where temperatures become extremely high
- Places where condensation tends to occur
For example, leaving cards in a vehicle that becomes very hot in summer or keeping them for long periods in a humid location is not a suitable storage method.
What matters is not focusing only on a single humidity number, but avoiding hot and humid conditions and sudden temperature changes as much as possible and storing the cards in a stable environment. If you can manage them without problems in the room where you normally live, special equipment is not always necessary.
Do you need a dry cabinet or desiccant?
Some collectors use a dry cabinet when storing expensive graded cards for long periods.
The advantages of a dry cabinet are that it makes humidity easier to control and lets you store multiple cards together.
However, owning PSA- or ARS-graded cards does not mean that you must buy a dry cabinet.
If you store them in a relatively dry place and can avoid direct sunlight and extreme heat, you can also manage them in storage boxes, shelves, or similar locations.
Another option is to put desiccant in a storage case to reduce humidity.
However, you cannot put desiccant in once and leave it unchanged for years. If you use it, check the replacement interval as well.
Rather than being “something that guarantees the cards will be safe,” a dry cabinet is one option that makes the storage environment easier to control. Consider the value and number of cards you own and the humidity of the room, and choose one if needed.
Protect the grading case from scratches as well as the card
With PSA- and ARS-graded cards, the condition of the holder matters in addition to the card itself.
Even though the card is protected by the case, the case itself is exposed to the outside.
Therefore, stacking graded cards directly on top of each other or rubbing them against hard objects can leave fine scratches on the holder surface.
PSA offers a Reholder service for issues such as scuffs or fine scratches on the holder surface.
If you have purchased a clean graded card, you probably also want to keep the case itself as clean as possible.
If you are concerned about scratches on the case surface, one option is to store it in a protective bag or sleeve made for PSA/ARS holders.
It is easiest to think of a holder-protection bag as something that protects the outer grading case from scuffs and fine scratches, rather than something that protects the card’s grade itself. This is especially useful when storing multiple graded cards in the same box because the cases are less likely to rub directly against each other.
What should you do if the holder gets dirty?
Grading holders can pick up fingerprints and dust as they are handled.
For light dust or fingerprints, it is important to clean the holder gently so that you do not scratch the surface.
Rubbing hard or using abrasives can instead scratch the surface.
Also, if the case has major damage such as cracks, it is better not to try to open and repair it yourself.
PSA offers a Reholder service that replaces the holder of an already graded card with a new one.
ARS also offers an official Reholder service. If a holder develops scuffs, cloudiness, or similar issues, do not open it yourself; check the official Reholder service provided by the relevant grading company.
You can also store display cards and long-term storage cards differently
There is no need to store every graded card in exactly the same way.
You might display favorite cards in your room while keeping especially expensive cards or cards intended for long-term storage in a storage box or dry cabinet.
When displaying cards, choose a place that receives as little direct sunlight as possible and where the cards are unlikely to fall.
For long-term storage, a place where humidity and dust do not accumulate easily and where items are not frequently moved in and out is easier to manage.
As your collection grows, it can also be convenient to decide on designated storage locations so that you do not lose track of where each card is kept.
Store ARS Certificates carefully as well
Some ARS-graded cards come with a Certificate.
Because the Certificate is also made of paper, you should protect it from folds, dirt, humidity, and similar damage.
If you care for the card holder but put the Certificate loose in a storage box, the Certificate itself may become folded or scuffed.
If a Certificate is included, manage it together with the graded card while storing it in a way that makes folding and dirt less likely.
Deciding on a storage location for both the card and its Certificate also makes it easier to check whether the Certificate is present when you later sell the card.
What to remember when storing PSA- and ARS-graded cards
- The storage environment still matters even when a card is in a grading holder
- PSA officially states that its holders provide 50% UV protection
- No specific official numerical UV-blocking rate for the ARS holder by itself can currently be confirmed
- The ARS official UV-cut film is stated to block 99% of UV-A and UV-B
- PSA’s 50% and the ARS film’s 99% cannot be compared simply by the numbers alone
- PSA holder specifications may differ depending on the period
- Avoid direct sunlight, hot and humid conditions, and places where condensation is likely
- Also protect holders from rubbing against each other
- Use holder-protection bags when needed
- A dry cabinet is not mandatory; choose based on your storage environment
- Do not open a damaged holder yourself
- If an ARS Certificate is included, store the Certificate carefully as well