What Size of Bags and Boards Do I Need to Protect my Comic Books?

While today’s comic books are normally 6 5/8″ wide by 10 3/16″ high (Current size), these dimensions were not always standardized. Throughout the history of comic books, publishers have made comics is different sizes (learn more from this article). For the purpose of bag and board sizes, BCW has simplified the sizes into three groups, or ages.

  1. Golden Age – circa 1938 to 1955
  2. Regular/Silver Age – circa 1956 to 1969
  3. Current/Modern Age – circa 1970 to present

To keep comic books preserved, they’re normally stored in bags with boards and you’ll want to get bags and boards sized appropriately for your collection. If you’re not sure what size of bags and boards you need, please measure your comics, and compare with the sizes listed below.

 

 BACKING BOARDS   
 Modern Backing Boards
Same width as Current comics
6 5/8″ x 10 1/2″100/pk
1000/case
1-BBMOD
1-BBMOD-BULK
 Current Backing Boards
Slightly wider than Current comics
6 3/4″ x 10 1/2″100/pk
1000/case
1-BBCUR
1-BBCUR-BULK
 Regular Backing Boards
Same width as Silver comics
6 7/8″ x 10 1/2″100/pk
1000/case
1-BBREG
1-BBREG-BULK
 Silver Backing Boards
Slightly wider than Silver comics
7″ x 10 1/2″100/pk
1000/case
1-BBSIL
1-BBSIL-BULK
 Golden Age Backing Boards
Slightly wider than
Golden Age comics
7 1/2″ x 10 1/2″100/pk1-BBGOL
     
 BAGS – Polypropylene
   
 Modern/Current Bags
Fit with Modern or Current boards
6 7/8″ x 10 1/2″100/pk1-CUR
 Modern/Current Bags
With Resealable Strip
Fit with Modern or Current boards
6 7/8″ x 10 1/2″100/pk1-CUR-R
 Modern/Current Bags
For Thick Comics
Fit with Modern or Current boards
7″ x 10 1/2″100/pk1-CUR-THICK
 Modern/Current Bags
With Resealable Strip
For Thick Comics
Fit with Modern or Current boards
7″ x 10 1/2″100/pk1-CUR-R-THICK
 Regular/Silver Bags
Fit with Regular or Silver boards
7 1/8″ x 10 1/2″100/pk1-SIL
 Regular/Silver Bags
With Resealable Strip
Fit with Regular or Silver boards
7 1/8″ x 10 1/2″100/pk1-SIL-R
 Regular/Silver Bags
For Thick Comics
Fit with Regular or Silver boards
7 1/4″ x 10 1/2″100/pk1-SIL-THICK
 Regular/Silver Bags
With Resealable Strips
For Thick Comics
Fit with Regular or Silver boards
7 1/4″ x 10 1/2″100/pk1-SIL-R-THICK
 Golden Age Bags7 5/8″ x 10 1/2″100/pk1-GOL
 Golden Age Bags
With Resealable Strip
7 5/8″ x 10 1/2″100/pk1-GOL-R
 Golden Age Bags
For Thick Comics
8″ x 10 1/2″100pk1-GOL-THICK
 Golden Age Bags
With Resealable Strips
For Thick Comics
8″ x 10 1/2″100/pk1-GOL-R-THICK
     
  ARCHIVALS – Mylar Bags   
 2 Mil Mylar Current Bags7″ x 10 1/2″50/pk1-CUR-M2
 4 Mil Mylar Current Archivals7 1/4″ x 10 1/2″25/pk1-CUR-M4
 2 Mil Mylar Silver Archivals7 1/4″ x 10 1/2″50/pk1-SIL-M2
 4 Mil Mylar Silver Archivals7 1/2″ x 10 1/2″25/pk1-SIL-M4
 2 Mil Mylar
Golden Age Archivals
8″ x 10 1/2″50/pk1-GOL-M2
 4 Mil Mylar
Golden Age Archivals
8 1/4″ x 10 1/2″25/pk1-GOL-M4
 
Comparison of BCW comic bags and boards

Do you need larger bags and boards?
Treasury-size comic bags and boards
Magazine and book supplies
Graded comic bags

See all of BCW’s comic book supplies.

Toploaders – Affordable Photo and Poster Protection

Toploading holders are an affordable method to protect and display photos, documents, posters, and other large art prints. These toploaders are made from a clear PVC which does not contain chemicals that will damage the enclosed prints.

Batman Lego Posters

BCW offers a range of sizes of toploaders. Below are the poster sizes in inches. You can view smaller sizes for cards, photos, and specialty items here.

 8 x 108 x 128.5 x 118.5 x 14
 9 x 1210 x 1511 x 1411 x 15
 11 x 1712 x 1813 x 1914 x 17
 16 x 2018 x 2420 x 2422 x 28
 24 x 3024 x 3629 x 4330 x 40
 32 x 4312 x 36  
BCW Poster toploader sizes

Inserting documents into toploaders can be tricky if the document is glossy, as static electricity between the glossy document and the plastic prevent sliding the piece into the toploader. To help, blow into the toploader as you insert the document, creating a thin cushion of air between the glossy document and the plastic. Just make sure you don’t spit on the document.

BCW Toploaders are designed to store prints on a shelf or in a box, hence they do not have a hanging mechanism. If your goal is to display the print on a wall, a little MacGyvering is needed. For small to medium toploaders, you can adhere these hang tabs on the back of the toploaders. Adhesive backed flat magnets or Velcro work great in many instances. You can also look in the hardware aisle at your local home center or craft store to find hanging systems from 3M and others. For the larger posters shown above, we drilled small holes in the upper corners of the toploaders and hung them with small finishing nails.