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Getting Started
Safety First
Before starting any conservation work, understand the risks and proper precautions.
Essential Equipment
The right tools make all the difference. Build your conservation kit.
Techniques
Conservation Techniques
Cleaning
Safe:
Start here - the foundation of all conservation
- Dry cleaning methods
- Wet cleaning (when appropriate)
- Stain removal basics
- Surface debris removal
Pressing & Flattening
Caution:
Requires patience and proper technique
- Humidity treatment
- Book press method
- Heat press techniques
- When NOT to press
Surface Repair
Surface Repair | Polishing | Scratch Removal
- Polish techniques ("wet look")
- Scratch treatment by severity
- Layer separation repair
- When to stop
Edge & Corner Work
- Edge whitening treatment
- Corner repair techniques
- Pen tool methods
- Delamination repair
Finding Projects
Finding Restoration Candidates
- What makes a good candidate
- Where to source cards
- eBay buying strategies
- ROI calculations
🗂️ Card Sensitivity Database
Check the card class before you choose a temperature, a solvent, or a press time. A setting that is conservative for a WOTC holo has been documented destroying a modern gold hyper rare — 150 °F for 30 minutes, foil tunnelled, texture gone, unrecoverable. Eleven Pokémon profiles rating every class against eleven conservation processes, built from logged incidents.
Card Types
Browse by Card Type
Trading Card Games
- Magic: The Gathering (1993)
- Pokemon TCG (1996)
- Yu-Gi-Oh! (1999)
- Weiss Schwarz (2008)
- Cardfight!! Vanguard (2011)
- Final Fantasy TCG (2016)
- Dragon Ball Super (2017)
- Flesh and Blood (2019)
- Digimon (2020)
- One Piece TCG (2022)
- Disney Lorcana (2023)
- Star Wars Unlimited (2024)
Sports Cards
By Sport
By Era
- Vintage (Pre-1980)
- Junk Wax Era (1987-1993)
- Insert Era (1993-2005)
- Ultra Modern (2017+)
By Manufacturer
Vintage & Non-Sports
Tobacco Era (1880s-1940s)
Gum Card Era (1930s-1970s)
Non-Sports
Special Card Types
- Ink preservation, authentication, grading
- Jersey, patch, bat, ball memorabilia
Storage & Protection
Preserve Your Collection
Sleeves & Holders
Penny Sleeves | Perfect Fits | Top Loaders | Card Savers | One-Touch | Team Bags
Complete guide with sizing, brands & buying links
Long-Term Storage
Display Options
Grading & Authentication
Professional Services
Grading Companies
Grading Preparation
- Pre-Submission Inspection
- Slab Cracking Guide - How to safely crack PSA, BGS, SGC, CGC, and TAG slabs
- Cleaning for Grading
- What Graders Look For
- Grade Expectations
- Pokemon Grading Guide (external)
Authentication
- Counterfeit Detection
- Autograph Authentication
- Fake vs Real Guide
- Red Flags to Watch
- Altered Flags - How alterations are detected
Reference
Additional Resources
Technical Reference
- Card Sensitivity Database - How each card class responds to each process
- Incident Log - Documented failures and their exact settings
- Altered Flags - Detection methods and warning signs
- Card Related Patents - Manufacturing and restoration patents
- Restoration Community - Industry figures and interviews
- Glossary - Terms and definitions
Getting Started
- Free Resources - Everything on this wiki that's free to read
- Start Here - Complete beginner's guide
- Essential Tools - Build your restoration kit
- Hydration and Drying - The science behind moisture and heat
- Conservation Tech Sheet - Printable conservation record (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Finding Restoration Candidates - Source projects wisely
- Want to contribute? - Share your knowledge
eBay Guides
- Buying on eBay - Find restoration candidates
- Selling on eBay - Run a profitable card store
- Tips for fees, promotion, and optimization
Card Shows
- Las Vegas Card Shows - Upcoming shows, dates & venues
Quick Reference
| Safety Indicators Used in This Wiki |
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Safe:
Green boxes indicate safe techniques for most cards
Caution:
Yellow boxes indicate techniques requiring care
Unsafe:
Red boxes indicate methods to avoid
WARNING:
Red bordered boxes indicate serious risks
Tip:
Blue boxes provide helpful tips
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