General Forum

I've got a box of 1993 Upper Deck baseball that came out of the pack in bricks and all the usual methods for getting them apart have resulted in severe damage to the cards.  I've tried bending/flexing the stacks, slamming them on a table, freezing them, putting them in a warm oven, and just peeling them apart.  The only other things I can think to try are steaming or dehydrating them.  Has anyone ever tried either of those methods with any success?  I'm honestly not too optimistic about either of those ideas, but figure I might as well try since the cards will be ruined otherwise anyway.

I don't know of any sure method.  I have only had that happen to me twice.  I got a box of 2002 Topps and a box 1996-97 Stadium Club that had cards stuck together.  Luckily, both sets came apart easily with no damage at all.

My brother got a box of 1996-97 Skybox and wasn't so lucky.  They weren't horribly ruined, but there is some surface damage to the cards.  Cool thing is the background on that set is kind of similar to the damage so it isn't completely noticable.  I have some of those cards in my collection from duplicates he gave me.

I really wish this didn't happen, as it often prevents me from buying older sets.  

I've had similar issues with some 1993 Upper Deck baseball as well as other set. They were acquired collections, not directly from packs. All of my from pack issues were due to gum staining. I've tried the same basic methods you have used. Sometimes they have helped and sometimes not. I've never tried steaming or dehydrating. I would tend to think if none of the other options have worked you really don't have too much to lose. If I can't get them apart without huge damage they generally end up as garbage for me anyway.

I opened a box of series 1 93 Upper Deck recently and didn't have problems with it, but of course, the box that might have a Jeter in it is the one that's all stuck lol.  I've had quite a few boxes of stuck cards, but most of the time they come apart with little to no damage.  Occasionally I do get one that's stuck pretty bad like these and end up with a bunch of trashed cards.  I'm probably SOL, but I'll keep experimenting and maybe I'll get lucky.  I kinda figure the dehydrator will just cause the glossy finish to peel and crack, but not do much for actually unsticking the cards.

Yes, I was sure there were no Jeters in the ones I was sorting through. Painful when you are dealing with more than just commons. I would imagine even under the best of circumstances there would be some paper loss on the cards if they are that badly stuck together. 1993 are particularly bad but I've had issues with 1992 and 1994 as well. Good luck.

When times are desperate....soaking may be an option.

http://net54baseball.com/forum/content/soak.html

You might try microwaving them too, if there isn't any metallic foil on them.

-Tom

I did the microwave thing too, not sure if it helped any.  Probably not or I would have written about.   Any glossies packed tightly should be looked at immediately.  Don't wait.

Put them in the freezer for a short time, they should unstick and peel away without damage. I would suggest starting with just a small collection to see how it works for you before going with a larger block. 

I put some in a freezer for about six months, to no avail.  It depends on the cards.  I've thrown away hundreds, if not thousands, of cards in the last couple years due to this issue.