How to open packs without damaging the cards
Open along the short side of the pack, never across the middle. The stack of cards sits tight against one side and the seal runs along the edge, so a tear in the wrong place goes straight into the top card. Most damage to a card happens in the first half minute after the pack is opened, not in the years that follow.
Quick facts
| Open along | The short side, never across the middle |
|---|---|
| Hold the card | By the edges, never on the surface |
| Biggest risk | The first half minute after opening |
| Have ready | Penny sleeves, a few toploaders, a box for bulk |
| Where the hit sits | Last or second to last among the game cards |
Before you open
Dry your hands and clear a surface: a table with a soft mat, not a coffee table with sharp edges. Get penny sleeves and a few toploaders out in advance, and have a box or pile ready for what becomes bulk. Scissors are handy but fingers work too. The point of preparing is simple: whatever you don't have out, you won't have time to fetch, and the card lies loose in the meantime.
Opening
- Hold the pack with the cards face down, so the top card isn't pressed against the seal.
- Cut a narrow strip along the short side, or fold the edge and pull slowly.
- Let the cards slide out into your hand. Never shake.
- Lay the stack flat on the table.
- Separate the cards one at a time instead of flicking through them.
The first few seconds make all the difference. Hold by the edges and never on the surface, since fingerprints on foil cards can become permanent. Don't flick through, because that's when corners get bent. Lay the cards flat, as a card held upright bends more easily at the corners. And sort as you go: the valuable ones straight into a sleeve, the rest can wait.
What to do with what you find
| Common cards | Straight into the box, possibly in a penny sleeve |
|---|---|
| Foil cards | Penny sleeve, handle by the edges only |
| Rare cards | Penny sleeve and toploader |
| Cards you plan to grade | Penny sleeve and card saver, never toploader |
| The booster wrapper | Tall sleeve if you collect them, otherwise rubbish |
Opening a whole display
Get set up first, with a stack of sleeves, a few toploaders and a box for the bulk. Then open all the packs before you start sorting, so you see what you actually got before you start valuing. Put aside what you want to keep straight away, before the stacks get mixed up. Keep the box whole if you collect: an empty display with an intact bottom and lid has its own resale value. And don't count on completing a set from one display: the rares are spread across the whole print run, not evenly distributed in the box.
Weighed packs
You will come across the term weighing, meaning weighing packs to guess which ones contain rare cards. It happens, and it's the whole reason serious shops and collectors are careful with loose packs from unknown sources. Weighed and resealed packs are a real problem in the hobby, not a myth.
Protecting yourself is simple. If you buy loose packs, buy them from an unopened box or from someone you trust. Leave alone any pack that feels lighter than the others or looks resealed. More on how to assess a box in the guide to sealed boxes.
Opening with children
Lay out a towel or a soft mat first. Let the child open but cut the edge yourself if scissors are needed, and have sleeves out so the good ones can be put away straight away. Explain beforehand that most cards are common cards: it makes the disappointment smaller and it's also true. Keep the wrapper if the child wants to, it costs nothing.
Opening to sell
Photograph the valuable cards before they go into a sleeve, as a record of their condition. Sort straight into three piles: sell, keep and bulk. Put sellable cards in a sleeve and toploader right away, and note down what you found, it makes pricing easier later. Unopened packs and boxes have a value of their own that disappears the moment you open them.
The mistakes
Tearing the pack across the middle is the most expensive. Flicking through the stack straight away to find the hit is the second most expensive. Beyond that: putting the cards in a pile that then topples, opening over a table with sharp edges, throwing away the wrapper from a limited edition, and sorting on a dirty or damp surface.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is the hit? Last or second to last among the game cards. See the guide to card order.
- Should I keep the wrappers? Only if you collect them. They have value mainly from older and limited editions.
- Can I open a display and sell the packs individually? Yes, but buyers pay less for loose packs for exactly that reason.
- Do I need gloves? No. Clean, dry hands and the right grip are enough.
Read more about how to protect your cards, where the hits sit and how to store your collection.
Shop: sleeves and toploaders at Bangerpack, to have ready before you open.
Written by us who run Bangerpack. Range and prices change continuously. What applies when you read this is shown in the category.
