I used to roll my eyes at people who sleeve their board game cards

For years I thought it was such a waste of money and time. I mean who cares if a card gets a little bent, right? Then last month a buddy brought out his copy of Dominion that he's had since like 2013. The cards were still in perfect shape because he sleeved them from day one. Meanwhile my copy from 2015 has cards so sticky and worn you can tell what's coming next just by feel. I finally got it when I saw how much resale value his set has versus mine. Now I'm sitting here with a box of 500 sleeves and I feel like a fool for waiting so long. Has anyone else dealt with having to replace a whole game because of card wear?

3 comments

3 Comments

williams904d agoTop Commenter

That Dominion example hits hard because the tactile wear actually changes the game over time. With deckbuilders especially, worn cards create a real advantage for the person who's played more. I grabbed a used copy of Ascension once and the starting cards were so slick from grease that they slid apart in the shuffle while the expensive cards were still matte. That's the hidden cost nobody talks about - sleeves protect against unequal wear patterns that literally warp the randomness of the draw.

betty_white391mo ago

Did you read that article about how humidity ruins sleeves faster than regular handling?

oliver7191mo ago

Actually, sleeves are more vulnerable to sweat and skin oils than to humidity, though both certainly play a role.