SNES Booklets/Manuals. How do you store them?

[m308gunner | 352]

So for my NES booklets I use those recipe binder pages that hold four booklets to a page, but how does the savy collector in-the-know store their SNES booklets? Cardboard box? Loose pile? Individual baggies? I've gotten back into SNES collecting for the first time in 30+ years and would like to know how you do it.

[Retromangia | 3]

Hey M308,

I'm also trying to solve this issue.  I have a lot of loose manuals as well.  My first thought was just to use baggies for them, but id like to give them a little more support. I wonder if they make miniature comic book boards and bags.

 I'm curious about these receipt binders you you mentioned.  Can you post a link with an image of one? Thanks brotha!

Edited April 17, 2020 by Retromangia

[DoctorEncore | 3,693]

How about a tall recipe box or index card box? Not sure about the dimensions, but that general style could work. You'd also have to invest in individual bags for each manual. It could be nice for alphabetizing and flipping through the manuals.

[profholt82 | 60]

Remember those old NES carrying cases? They're vinyl, came in black or green, have a lid and handle, and store about a dozen or so carts. Well, mine has been stuffed with hundreds of NES and SNES manuals for years. I try to keep them alphabetized for when I need one, and it's convenient having them all handy and in the same place. But while this set up works great for me, I've never been the type of guy who cares about the whole financial and condition side of the hobby. I literally just like being able to check the manual sometimes for certain games.

If you wanted to keep them all pristine, you could check out a company like BCW that specializes in making protector sleeves and boards for comic books and trading cards. They make all sorts of types and sizes, so there's probably something that would work for manuals. Whatever you use, make sure that the plastic is labeled "acid free," otherwise you could have an issue in the coming years. I've known guys that put their baseball cards in cheap plastic sleeves back in the 90s, left them boxed up for decades and then discovered that the plastic had destroyed them. So cheaping out on plastic sleeves is not advised. I haven't checked if ziplock bags or baggies are acid free, but I'd make sure they were before storing paper in them for the long term.

[oops | 85]

i put them in box protectors

[m308gunner | 352]

7 hours ago, Retromangia said:

Hey M308,

I'm also trying to solve this issue.  I have a lot of loose manuals as well.  My first thought was just to use baggies for them, but id like to give them a little more support. I wonder if they make miniature comic book boards and bags.

 I'm curious about these receipt binders you you mentioned.  Can you post a link with an image of one? Thanks brotha!

No problem! I think these were originally a Martha Stewart thing, but they have flaps along the top and middle so the booklets won't fall out if tipped over. Kinda hard to see in the pic. They fit perfectly, and I love them dearly, but some of the more recent homebrew booklets are a bit too large, so results may vary.

[Tanooki | 5,257]

I leave them as is basically.  I have a decent selection of manuals from the NES through GBA period and I have them all by system A-Z order and stacked up like actual books on a shelf squeezed together to keep them nice, flat, and flush so nothing makes things worse for them yet are easily accessible.

[Tabonga | 2,533]

I used to keep them in binders with vinyl photo pages - they would never stay in place because the weight of the manuals made the pages sag badly.

I have two of these boxes (one is a pirate ship (with a map on the inside) but made by the same company).

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-COLLECTIBLE-TOY-TIN-BARN-LITHO-BOX-W-HINGED-LID-SIGNED-R-BASHAM-INSIDE/223982571060?hash=item342666ce34:g:1UsAAOSwj3NenE0t

They fit two stacks on manuals comfortably.  Not worth the price they are asking - I bought mine new for well under $10 - they had three small bags of popcorn in them (carmel korn, cheese, and regular).

I store the carts in some of the old nintendo pullout drawers (made for SNES).

The boxes are stored in a large foot locket.

Any maps and posters are stored flat in large vinyl sheet protectors - so no wear and tear either if being used or folding/unfolding,