The present invention relates generally to the field of methods of and systems for displaying and protecting collectable articles, and more particularly to a method of and system for displaying and protecting cards, such as sports cards.
Many people collect cards, such as sports cards, for pleasure or for investment. An important aspect of card collecting is the value of the cards. The economic laws of supply and demand are applicable to card collecting just as they are to any other field where a commodity is bought, sold, or traded in a free, unregulated market. Supply, which is the number of cards available on the market, is less than the total number of cards originally produced since attrition diminishes the original quantity. Each year, a percentage of cards is typically thrown away, destroyed, or otherwise lost to collectors. However, this percentage is much much smaller today than it was in the past because more and more people have become increasingly aware of the value of their cards. The demand for cards is influenced by a number of primarily psychological factors such as the popularity of a particular player or team, and the general popularity of card collecting. Also, cards associated with a particular event, such as a superstar""s rookie season, are in high demand.
Another factor in determining the value of a card is the card""s condition. Other things being equal, the better the condition of a card, the higher its value. Condition grading, however, is subjective. Individual card dealers and collectors differ in the strictness of their grading, but the stated condition of a card should be determined without regard to whether it is being bought or sold. Also, no allowance is given for age. A 1952 card is judged by the same standards as a 1992 card.
The condition of cards is graded based primarily upon centering, corner wear, creases, and assorted miscellaneous defects. Current centering terminology uses numbers representing the percentage of border on either side of the main design. A well centered card has substantially equal borders all the way around the card. Off centered cards range from slightly off center to badly off center. Corner wear is the most scrutinized grading criteria for cards. It is desired that the corners be sharp and completely unworn. One major category of corner wear is a corner with a slight touch of wear, in which the corner is sharp but there is a slight touch of wear showing. A more serious defect is a fuzzy corner, in which the corner still comes to a point, but the point has just begun to fray. Somewhat worse is a slightly rounded corner, in which the fraying of the corner has increased to the point that there is only a hint of a point. Worse still is a rounded corner, in which the point is completely gone. Finally, a badly rounded corner is completely round and rough.
A third common defect is the crease. Creases can be categorized as to severity from light to medium to heavy. A light crease is a crease that is barely noticeable upon close inspection. A medium crease is noticeable when the card is held and steadied at arm""s length with the naked eye; however, it does not overly detract from the appearance of the card. A heavy crease is one that has torn or broken through the card""s picture surface.
In addition to the major criteria of centering, corner wear, and creases, there are certain miscellaneous flaws that detract from the value of the card. For example, minor flaws such as bubbles or lumps in the surface, gum and wax stains, slanted borders, notching, off center backs, paper wrinkles scratched off cartoons or puzzles on the back of the card, rubberband marks, scratches, surface impressions and warping all tend to lower the card""s grade. More serious flaws include chemical or sun fading, erasure marks, mildew, miscutting, holes, tape marks, tears, and stains.
Additionally, alterations decrease the grade of a card. A serious alteration involves deceptive trimming, which occurs when someone alters the card in order to shave off edge wear, improve the sharpness of the corners, or improve centering. In addition to deceptive trimming, persons occasionally attempt to deceptively retouch borders by touching up the edges and corners of cards with a marker of the appropriate color.
Since almost any handling subjects a card to wear, there is a desire to place valuable cards in protective cases or containers. There is also a desire to provide a uniform system of grading or certification. In such a uniform system of certification, a card""s condition is certified by a trusted expert grader. However, after a card has been graded, it is necessary that the card be protected from further wear. Additionally, it is necessary that the certification be permanently affixed to the protected graded card so that the grading cannot be altered or applied to another card.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved system for displaying graded cards.
The card display system of the present invention includes a transparent first shell part and a transparent second shell part. The first shell part has inner and outer surfaces and a perimeter. The perimeter of the first shell part will typically be rectangular, but can be configured in any shape. The perimeter of the first shell part includes a flange that extends outwardly of the inner surface of the first shell part. The second shell part also has inner and outer surfaces and a perimeter. The inner surface of the second shell part includes a card holding depression positioned within the perimeter of the second shell part. The card holding depression has dimensions greater than the dimensions of a card to be displayed. The second shell part is smaller than the first shell part such that the flange of the first shell part matingly engages the perimeter of the second shell part to define a card holding chamber between the inner surface of said the first shell part and the card holding depression. The first and second shell parts may be sealed together to encase a card in the card holding chamber.
The system of the present invention also includes a transparent card holding sleeve. Because most collectible cards are rectangular, the card holding sleeve will typically be rectangular, but can be configured in any shape. The card holding sleeve has substantially the same dimensions as the card holding depression to be positionable within the card holding chamber. The sleeve includes a first transparent sheet and a second transparent sheet. The transparent sheets are disposed on opposite sides of the card and at least a portion of the edges of the sheets sealingly engaging each other. Preferably, the edges are sealed at central portions thereof, with the corners being unsealed.
Preferably, the perimeter of the first shell part includes a second flange extending outwardly of the outer surface of the first shell part and the perimeter of the second shell part includes a second flange extending outwardly of the outer surface of the second shell part. The second flanges serve to prevent the outer surfaces of the shell parts from contacting surfaces upon which the system of the present invention is placed, thereby preventing the scratching or marring of the outer surfaces. Also, when several systems are stacked on top of each other, the second flanges engage each other to prevent the systems form sliding with respect to each other.