Man, you wanna know how I finally got around to tackling this “anthony davis rookie” card project? Let me just walk you through the chaos. Figured it was time to actually protect that thing instead of leaving it sitting naked on my shelf like a dusty old book. First thing I did? Dove into some serious research mode.
The Research Grind
Started simple. Went online, typed in stuff like “top rookie cards nba” and “anthony davis rookie card value”. Holy smokes, prices are nuts now! Way more than I remembered paying ages ago. Felt like I needed proper protection ASAP. Read forums, watched videos – everyone arguing about the best slabs, cases, you name it. It was info overload. Finally decided a sturdy, clear case was what I needed. No grading service mess, just basic protection.
Gathering the Gear
Went scavenging. Needed a few things:
- A semi-rigid card holder – something thicker than a flimsy penny sleeve, ya know?
- A proper plastic case that snaps shut tight.
- Clean microfiber cloths – no streaks allowed!
- Latex-free gloves. Fingerprints are the enemy!
Ran down to the local card shop. Grabbed a toploader and a standard size screw-down case they swore was good. Boss there was skeptical about the size matching my specific card.
The Great Handling (Sweaty Palms Included)
Got home, cleared the kitchen table. Deep breath. Pulled the card out carefully from the binder where it was half-forgotten. Took off my rings just in case. Slid on the gloves – felt kinda ridiculous, but hey. Used tweezers to gently pick up the card by the very corner. My hands were actually sweating! Felt like handling a raw egg.
Slipped it smooth into the semi-rigid holder first. Felt that satisfying little click as it slid all the way in. Whew, step one done.
The Case Kerfuffle (& the Scanner)
Then came the screw-down case. Opened it up, laid the sleeved card perfectly centered. Slowly lowered the top piece. Went to turn the first screw… too easy? Uh oh. Closed the case, flipped it over. Card shifted! Not by much, but enough to look crooked. Crap. Took it apart, repositioned, held my breath pressing the card flat. Tried the screws again, tightening each one a little bit at a time, moving diagonally like bolting down a car tire. Checked again. Almost perfect. Good enough for my nerves.
Wanted to scan it quick for my records. Dug out the old flatbed scanner. Plugged it in. Windows decided it needed to install drivers. Sat there drumming my fingers forever. Finally got it scanned. The scanner light was so bright it washed out some color. Adjusted the settings, rescanned. Better. Saved the file as “AD_Rookie_Final_Final_*”. Classic.
Display Done (Mostly)
Wiped down the case with a microfiber cloth, catching a sneaky smudge on the edge. Plonked it on my main display shelf, nudging some other junk aside. Stepped back. Yeah. That’ll do. It’s protected, it’s visible. Not museum quality maybe, but that’s MY rookie card in there. Feels solid. Every time I see it now, brings me right back to watching him at Kentucky. What a beast he was even then! It’s wild.
