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CONCLUSION: There are no truly premium plastic album sheets

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RustyGreerFan

Active member
Jun 10, 2010
2,496
4
Gastonia, NC
I've posted about album sheets before (or as I've called them since I was in grade school, plastics), but I've finally made a decision. There are no truly premium plastics.

I enjoy displaying my favorite cards in plastics and like to flip through my albums from time to time. That's how I enjoy collecting. So I've got some experience with plastics.

It's pretty apparent that Ultra Pro Platinum plastics are the best. I've tried a couple others and they are definitely lesser quality. The biggest beef I have with Ultra Pro is that even from an unsealed box, not all the sheets are crystal clear. Many of them have spots or streaks apparently from the production process. Despite this, Ultra Pro Platinum sheets are definitely premium comparatively.

But because of what plastics are, or are made of, there will always be drawbacks until a brand new kind of plastics is invented or used for collecting.

1. Plastics via static(?) attract dust, lint, etc like a magnet. I've seen the folders that are enclosed, but I doubt they are any match for the attraction power of plastics if you're like me and like to flip through your albums.

2. Plastics get scuffed. This is what baffled me for so long. I could take a perfect and crystal clear sheet from a brand new box of Ultra Pro Platinum, and after a couple of times flipping through my album, I'd notice scuffing. How did this happen? Apparently as pages touch each other and slide against each other they scuff each other. Even if you are careful, scuff happens.

3. Cloudiness and other bizarre marks. There are still mysteries like cloudiness and other spots that suddenly appear on plastics. My house is generally temperature controlled, so I have no idea how these things are happening. I think I've noticed the cloudiness is more likely on the top few sheets in an album.

I hope some day someone invents an even better plastic sheet for collecting - scuff-proof plastics! With no static! Crystal clear, every time!
 

uniquebaseballcards

New member
Nov 12, 2008
6,783
0
Good post. Its to the manufacturer's advantage not to make perfect sheets (or one-touches, or top loaders even) - because there'd be less of a reason for us to buy new ones. Its like disposable razor blades; if they made them to last the manufacturers wouldn't make enough $.

My hope is that 3D printers will be good enough some day to solve this problem (and others) :)
 

MansGame

Active member
Sep 25, 2009
15,324
20
Dallas, TX
In your research have you noticed that over the years, specifically when comparing sheets from the '90 versus sheets available now, sheets are MUCH thinner?! I go through older sheets in my Belle PC and some older sheets are thinker in quality. Now they are so damn thin that if you put in a newer card with a memo piece, it literally weighs down the entire sheet! Older sheets are more sturdy... This is just my take and I think it's just cost savings and not giving thought to quality.
 

Lars

Active member
Aug 25, 2008
1,269
0
More volume sold, the cheaper something needs to be made...and fast! Back in my day all you had to worry about was sports card collectors, now Ultra Pro has to worry about the non-sport gamers as well as the couponing hobby.

They can't be bothered with truly something of high quality when all sorts of people want to buy plastic sheets and they want to meet demand.
 

hofmichael

New member
Sep 19, 2008
3,811
0
Albany,NY
My favorite pages are from bcw. They seem to come pretty nice out of the box with less imperfections than Ultra Pro. Out of a full case I only discarded three pages. I also use Univenture binders which keep the dust out of the binder.

Sent from my VS840 4G using Sports Cards by Freedom Card Board.com
 
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PadresFan86

New member
Nov 11, 2011
2,554
0
California
Even the toploaders have issues, some of them look like someone at ultrapro blew a load on them.

Sent from my HUAWEI-M920 using Sports Cards by Freedom Card Board.com
 

hofmichael

New member
Sep 19, 2008
3,811
0
Albany,NY
They are a clamshell type binder available through Univenture.com .

Sent from my VS840 4G using Sports Cards by Freedom Card Board.com
 

uniquebaseballcards

New member
Nov 12, 2008
6,783
0
My favorite pages are from bcw. They seem to come pity the box with less imperfections than Ultra Pro. Out of a full case I only discarded three pages. I also use Univenture binders which keep the dust out of the binder.

Mr_T_1z.jpg


I use slip covers as well, can't imagine not using them.

There's no incentive for manufacturers to make perfect sheets.
 

RustyGreerFan

Active member
Jun 10, 2010
2,496
4
Gastonia, NC
In your research have you noticed that over the years, specifically when comparing sheets from the '90 versus sheets available now, sheets are MUCH thinner?! I go through older sheets in my Belle PC and some older sheets are thinker in quality. Now they are so damn thin that if you put in a newer card with a memo piece, it literally weighs down the entire sheet! Older sheets are more sturdy... This is just my take and I think it's just cost savings and not giving thought to quality.

Yes, I have noticed that older sheets are "thicker." But that is, again, where I will give kudos to Ultra Pro right now. They are not too thin and not too thick - just right.

And I think some of you are correct - there's just not the demand for a higher-quality sheet. At least not enough to develop it. Do Ultra Pro and BCM really have any competition? If not, why bother with a new sheet?
 

PadresFan86

New member
Nov 11, 2011
2,554
0
California
Ordered some new Ultrapro toploaders today. This is what I get from them. Thanks Ultrapro!!! It's very clear you don't give a shat about your products.

imgovs.jpg
 

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