Don,
I know exactly what you are talking about for those cardboard boxes. I have tons of them for my MTG cards. Use them all the time.
I was just thinking that... Since the tuck boxes are part of the value of the playing card decks, that they should be just as protected as the cards. Card board storage boxes can get bent and deteriorate over time. So the hard plastic cases would add just that much more protection. Or so that was my thought. I have some decks that cost me upwards of $50.
But it our the pro. If you don't think it is necessary... I'll take your advice.
If you're storing sealed decks in their cellophane, or even open decks, those boxes are perfect for the job and highly economical. I, too, have individual decks that are quite expensive, and those boxes haven't let me down yet. The added cost of individual plastic cases just isn't worth it for the entire collection - but if you were to buy them solely for the expensive decks placed in cardboard boxes with the rest, they certainly won't do any harm. Bear in mind, though, that the additional bulk of plastic cases might mean your cardboard boxes will hold a few less decks as a result.
I also have another great storage solution for decks that I want easy access to - stackable drawers from Staples. I know I've written about them elsewhere around here - a keyword search for "Staples" and "drawers" will probably turn them up. The drawers are quite sturdy, hold 45 decks each, are removable but don't simply slide out by accident and can be stacked as high as you like - though I wouldn't recommend more than about a dozen drawers high, without the included caster wheels (the mounting points will certainly break under the weight). Furniture foot pads will give you enough movement to reposition them on hard floors.
Just a quick note about trading card game sleeves: I would stay away from UltraPro, their sleeves are low quality and tend to split at the seams and come apart. I don't know if that poor quality carries over to their other products, but just about any other brand out there will out perform/outlast Ultras.
I suspect you might have caught a bad batch - I used to use UltraPro sleeves and card cases all the time. They usually held up better than the "no-name" brand stuff - they even felt thicker. I never once had one split at the seam. Either that or their quality standards have fallen over the years - I hope that isn't the case.
Make sure your sleeves have the hologram dot on the corner with UltraPro's logo. Without that, they're just knockoffs.
UltraPro has a case that will fit "Most" decks, I say most because some custom decks run a tad larger and these cases fit snugly. They do the trick for most of my Autographed decks.........but a few will not fit.
We used these on the Aquila Signature deck. As Don mentioned, keep a look out for pricing.
That actually looks rather nice. Now we know how the UltraPro boxes work!
Did you ever get the larger sizes? For example, a "100-count" box would be big enough for a two-deck set. It defeats the purpose of using clear plastic to a certain extent, but It's also possible that the additional space might allow two decks to fit more easily.
I've also seen some semi-transparent hinged boxes before, but they were sized to just hold the cards. Kikkerland used them for their clear plastic decks, and I think USPC used them for their Bicycle and Hoyle clear plastic decks. Those would be pretty nice for just holding the cards in a transportable way, I suspect.
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