General Forum

Hi, I got back to collecting after 20+ years and I enjoy buying packs and boxes of the cards I used to collect as a kid in the 90s. Unfortunately, some of the series (usually the ones from the mid-90s) have cards in the pack stuck together and if you try to separate them they'll get damaged with the white spots. In some cases, it was just a few packs in the box but with Score 1996-97 it's basically every pack. Is there any way how to separate those cards while reducing the damage? Usually, you can tell if the cards are stuck prior to opening the pack. 

Unfortunately, no. Once they are stuck the damage is already done. 

This is what we refer to as "bricking".  In baseball, it has been seen from the 1993 Upper Deck set through to at least the 2002 Topps set.  Many methods have been tried to separate the cards without damaging them, everything from freezing them to steaming them.  About the most effective way is to take the brick and bend it from both end as well as giving it a slight twist.  You will hear them come apart. But if you look closely at the cards, (some don't need really close inspection) you will see some of the ink having flaked off and stuck on the other card. At times,the paper will also actually tear from one card to the other.  But as Billy has said, the damage has been done. 

Store these sets very loosely in a box or with penny sleeves froeach and every one, or in a binder in 9-pocket pages.

I have never tried but I seen some collectors say put them in the freezer for about 10 minutes or so. But like I said I never tried it. But it would really stink if you have the score select gold jeter card in those stuck packs

i would try it I'm mean what do you have to lose if you are marking those cards as a lost cause anyways. Let us know how it turns out

Even 1992 Upper Deck baseball has some of the bricking issues. 

Had fun with a box recently and every Ted Williams Best insert stuck to a base card thanks to the coating on the insert