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Bricked Cards Arrgh!

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Will Style 13

New member
Feb 9, 2012
929
1
York, PA
I'm currently going through and purging a lot of the excess in my collection. I was going through a box of 2003 Topps and their are cemented together. I tried peeling some apart but it seems like a fruitless effort. I may end up losing 90% of them. I tried putting them in the freezer and trying to work them lose by bending. It sucks and I worry I'll find more like this as I go through my collection. The thing is they didn't get wet but maybe humidity did it? They are in a room with no air conditioning. Anyone one else run into this issue?
 

rsmath

Active member
Nov 8, 2008
6,086
1
The thing is they didn't get wet but maybe humidity did it? They are in a room with no air conditioning. Anyone one else run into this issue?

based on my experience with 1993 Leaf, I would say heat softens the u/v or gloss or whatever coating they put on the cards and then hardens up to "glue" the cards together when the temperature lowers to the point it's not
warm enough to soften the gloss. If 2003 Topps was rather glossy or shiny, maybe it suffers the same fate that makes them glued together as you described.

I don't know what to tell you to fix things - I"ve never had much luck with freezer or bending the cards to try to break them apart (I"ve had to toss many 1993 leaf cards or just live with a few surface gloss loss issues for the cards in my PC).

I suppose now that summer is here, maybe you (and I with my 1993 leaf "bricks") should try putting the cards out in the sun for a half-hour so they get warm and maybe they'll peel apart easily but you're likely to have surface gloss inconsistencies.

if you do get them apart and they are acceptable for your collection or needs, you may want to put them in penny sleeves so they won't be able to stick to the card next to it in your storage box.
 

Will Style 13

New member
Feb 9, 2012
929
1
York, PA
I managed to save a few by putting them in my car on a hot day for an hour or so. Still had to toss quite a few but at least I know that helps.
 

Austin

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
5,706
41
Dallas, Texas
People who open older Topps Factory sets and newer ones in the future are going to be upset when their cards are all fused together. Topps really packs their sets tightly.
I store all of my sets in plastic sheets and binders, so hopefully the glossy cards don't stick to the plastic. So good so far.

One tip: Never store glossy cards tightly in a box. Always leave a gap at each end and tilt the cards so they're at an angle, preventing them from sticking from pressure.
 
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SINFULONE

Active member
Sep 26, 2008
5,691
0
Had this same problem with older Topps and Fleer Ultra base.I froze some of them, seemed to help a little.Still threw a bunch away.
 

Techniq

New member
Jan 2, 2014
966
0
South San Francisco, CA
I had this problem with a 1990 UD box a few months ago.. About half of the packs were no good because the cards inside were bricked! Ended up finding the Reggie Jackson auto in that box, thank god it wasn't in one of the bricked packs.
 

Will Style 13

New member
Feb 9, 2012
929
1
York, PA
I'm surprised that 90 upper deck would brick. They aren't nearly as glossy as the other sets mentioned in this thread. Congrats on that Jackson Auto though!
 

SINFULONE

Active member
Sep 26, 2008
5,691
0
I'm surprised that 90 upper deck would brick. They aren't nearly as glossy as the other sets mentioned in this thread. Congrats on that Jackson Auto though!

I'm surprised too.Never had that with mine.I did have a bunch of '91 or '92 UD base that some stuck together because of the annoying glue from the hologram stickers must have melted onto one of the cards in each pack though.

OP, have a scan of the Jackson autograph?Those were tough.
 

Techniq

New member
Jan 2, 2014
966
0
South San Francisco, CA
I'm surprised too.Never had that with mine.I did have a bunch of '91 or '92 UD base that some stuck together because of the annoying glue from the hologram stickers must have melted onto one of the cards in each pack though.

OP, have a scan of the Jackson autograph?Those were tough.

ImageUploadedByFreedom Card Board1404172757.276795.jpg

Not as good as a scan and not a very good picture but just happened to have this one handy lol
 

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