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Today we are shining a light on UV rays: what UV rays are, how they can damage (or ruin) your valuable collectibles and how you can protect against damage. We’ve seen nearly all collectibles lose some value if a signature or item has shown fading.
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a form of radiation that is emitted by the sun and artificial sources, such as tanning beds and some halogen, fluorescent, and incandescent lights. Photolysis is the chemical reaction that takes place when UV rays break a compound molecules of a chemical compound, causing fading when the ultraviolet radiation breaks the chemical bond of color molecules of the item.
Sunlight provides the most powerful source of UV light, and while direct sunlight is bad for collectibles, even ambient sunlight causes some damage. Artificial light in your home, over a prolonged period of time, can lead to fading as well.
UV radiation is harmful since it has the power to damage pretty much everything in your collection— art, photographs, autographs, magazines, newspaper, leather, rubber, fabrics, etc. You may notice the effects of UV damage when you see your collectibles starting to fade, get brittle, or over time, bleach out. Once damage from light has occurred, it can never be reversed. There is considerable impact to the value of collectibles with sun damage so great care must be taken to minimize the risk of damage before it happens.
Did you know that a display piece that is exposed to direct, harsh sunlight can fade in as little as a few weeks or months, even if it’s in a glass case?
The UV Index was created to help you make informed decisions about how much time you should spend in the sun. It tells you how strong the sun’s UV rays will be. The higher the UV Index, the greater the strength of the sun’s UV rays and radiation impact to your collectibles.
UV index ratings are from 0 to 11, low to high. If you are living in a location or time of year with high UV ratings, you certainly need to be more conscious of how to protect your items from damage. Most phones today will have a UV index rating for your current location.
Or, search for your current UV index with the EPA UV index search
UV index can vary by a number of factors including the time of day, time of year, cloud cover, altitude, location and surrounding surfaces. The higher the UV index, the greater the potential for damage to your collectibles, and the less time it takes for harm to occur.
The ideal setting for valuable sports memorabilia is a cool, dark and dry place, and in a protective case. A finished basement or “man cave” is ideal with little no natural sunlight with LED lights.
We at Memorabilia Displays are passionate about protecting valuable – and sometimes priceless – memorabilia. We offer the best display cases on the market with the highest levels of UV protection and many other features to meet your unique needs. Make sure to check out our product listing information to review if the case has UV protection. You can always chat with us directly if you have any questions about a specific product’s UV protection if it isn’t stated.
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