just got 5 booster boxes in from Japan yesterday! i got them at solid prices and sorta ended up opening all of them LOL. I want to put them in a binder, as cards from Battle Region, Star Birth, etc. have some insane art, but i’m not really sure how to organize them in a way that makes sense. I was planning on getting a 12 pocket binder and loading like 4-5 japanese modern sets into one binder, but there’s some thing im unsure of.
I can fit Star Birth, Space Juggler, Time Gazer and one more set into this binder. I was thinking Battle Region because it’s the subset that complements Star Birth, but then Dark Phantasma, S10D and S10P’s subset will have to go in another binder. Another issue is that with those 4 sets, it only takes up ~400 spots. a 12-pocket can fit another 80 cards, but with the size of modern sets, that’s not enough space for a whole other set. i don’t wanna leave the last like 6 pages of the binder empty but i also dont wanna fill them up with randomness. since dark phantasma and battle region are subsets, they are a bit smaller, so im really only like 15 cards off being able to fit all 5 into the same binder, so I was considering maybe dropping the rainbows, or other cards that have multiple rarities in the same set. but then the completionist in me feels like it’s not a complete set if i’m missing cards. I also wanted to include some of the promos that made it into the english sets like Darkrai VSTAR. at the same time, i dont know how many more sets there will be in the SWSH block before scarlet and violet come out, so what if i misjudge and end up with like 1 or 2 sets at the end that cant fit into a binder? should I just wait till they’re all out? but i really wanted to start putting those binders together now. for vintage Japanese it’s a bit easier because I can pretty cleanly fit base to gym 2 in one 12 pocket. ugh.
as you can see, this minor dilemma has sent me into a serious crisis. is there anybody else putting together japanese master sets of modern that can quell my panic and share how they’re filling out binders?
I personally use ultra pro premium binders, 360 cards total. At this point Modern sets are so massive it’s almost 1 per binder.
I’m behind on modern binders, and plan on doing an alt art one at some point. Ultimately with binders there are no rules. I have multiple sets organized differently in binders. It really boils down to preference. But I agree, doing standard set binders these days is tedious. You can fit like 4 vintage sets into the same space.
My favourite binders are the ones where I don’t know what’s coming on the next page. Like just various Japanese promos, unsorted full arts, etc. I got a binder just named TEXTURE. Embrace the chaos to spice it up. They’re super fun to reorganize too.
I don’t complete Japanese modern sets, but I do work on completing modern sets. For any standard set Lost Thunder and beyond, I put in Dex Protection 480 pocket binders. For a few sets, 480 pockets isn’t enough so I go with Dragon Shield 576 pocket codex binders. Every set in my collection (modern or not) gets its own binder, so naturally I have a lot of left over space. Personally, I realized right away that this space would be inevitable, so I pretty much accepted it from the start. Though I do try and utilize extra space where I can with the extra alternate set promos/holo patterns, and I also place any set duplicates I have or Black Star promos associated with the set in this empty space.
Obviously I’m not dealing with the exact same sets as you, but I would consider getting as many sets as possible into a binder, and then using the extra space for duplicates you acquire over time or just accepting some space won’t be used, and that’s ok because the overall purpose of that specific binder is to contain all the cards in a set, if that’s how you choose to organize your collection.
@smpratte yea, that’s especially true for the english sets lol it’s insanity. i wish i could build my own custom premium binder, similarly to the way you can for the ringed binders. it would make this much easier lol
@Berndos i certainly agree with you! i have several binders that are straight chaos from start to finish lol i kinda have this strange phobia of moving cards around too much “loosening” the pockets and then cards falling out. honestly, it probably comes from me demolishing binder pages as a kid from ramming like 10 cards into a single pocket lol
wow, i didnt even know 576 pocket binders existed! that’s very good to know, thank you lol. it’s a good point that acceptance of the empty space is probably good to deal with now, especially when I consider how anal retentive i am about everything fitting in perfectly. filling in with extra promos and duplicates also is a great idea. maybe i’ll double-down on a hybrid of what burnedos suggested; i’ll have the sets together and embrace the empty space with c h a o s z o n e. Each binder can just have its own several pages of chaos at the end lol
I use different binders than most collectors but I am very fond of them.
These binders have 3” and 2” versions with a sturdy slipcover to keep the contents protected. They are seriously heavy duty binders that can handle the weight of trading cards easily.
Binder Features:
Elegant European design that combines clean, professional style with peak efficiency
Hardbound, linen-textured cover featuring an embossed Bindertek logo and thick boards for added durability
Effort-free, one-touch ring mechanism for smooth opening and closing
Dependable slanted D-ring ensures pages lie flat
Ball-and-socket ring closure for snag-free page turning
Customizable spine label and table of contents
Steel-reinforced bottom edges for added longevity
Steel-rimmed finger hole for easy shelf access
Acid-free binder covers protect documents long term
Slipcase Features:
Crafted from quality 100pt. hardbound chipboard
Acid-free slipcase cover protects contents long term
Designed with a unique linen-textured cover and subtle silkscreened Bindertek logo
Specifications:
Spine Width: 3"
2" Rings
Binder Dimensions: 11.375"W x 11.625"H x 3″D
Fits U.S. Letter-Size: 8.5" x 11" Paper
Sheet capacity: Approximately 525 sheets
U.S. ring spacing
Slipcase Dimensions: 11.5"W x 12"H x 3.25"D
1 Slipcase per pack
I picked these because they feel so classy and professional and that’s how I wanted my collection to feel as an adult. I really like how they make my cards feel and obviously you have the benefit of using your own preferred sleeve counts.
The strength of the binder has no problem handling the weight of cards and card pages. My cards aren’t even back to back in their pockets and the binder doesn’t limp at all.
All my cards are in these. I love them. My main collection is a 3” first generation binder and a 2” neo generation binder. There are definitely other binders that are more convenient but I’m fond of these because you can’t beat the class.
oh wow, that thing is gigantic! my only concern with binders like these is the possibility of binder dents. is that something you’ve ever had an issue with? also, where do you get the pages that hold the cards from and do they fit sleeves as well? thank you so much for sharing that; there’s something about a massive binder packed full of cards that makes me feel giddy like a kid again
I use regular Ultra Pro platinum sleeves. I used sideloaders for a while but ended up switching back. That’s just a personal preference. The good thing is that the binder is wide enough to accommodate pretty much any pages you want to use. The cards themselves are also single sleeved, of course.
As for binder dents, this is something you only see from overloaded circular rings mounted on the spine. It’s pretty much not a physical possibility with back-mounted D Rings like these. I struggle to really think of how they could even occur in a configuration like this, so I don’t think it’s a risk at all in this case.
well, i’ll definitely have to give that binder set-up a try. im all for trying something new for each one i put together until i find the way that works best for me. thank you for sharing that with me
That sounds like a great idea lol! And yeah, the 576 binders were a godsend for Cosmic Eclipse and Fusion Strike. One thing to note is they don’t fit regular penny sleeves since the pockets are designed for Dragon Shield sleeves (I think) which are slightly smaller than, say, ultra pro penny sleeves. Personally for the 576 binders I just use perfect fits - the cards have a lot of wiggle room in the pockets and they sometimes move around, but I find that better than not having enough space to fit the entire set in a single binder.
you absolutely could, especially the japanese vintage sets. you could probably do base, jungle, fossil for less than umbreon vmax sr alone lol though, that may be an outlier
