Storing mini marquees - inevitable yellowing with time?

[Comrade Porn King Mikhail]

Been running into an inevitable yellowing issue with some mini marquees, so I figured I'd see if anyone else is experiencing this problem.

I've had a lot of my mini marquees for over 10 years. I store them in an acid-free Itoya art portfolio, the same kind used for original comic art. I haven't been able to notice any gradual change over a short period of time, but looking at some of them now after a decade has passed, some are starting to exhibit yellowing. This is most visible on the older early minis that had a white block of text.

The portfolio has always been kept in a box stored away from the environment. Still, yellowing seems to be creeping in even though I keep the marquee lights on the Big Red disconnected so as not to create any wear on the minis. They are strictly for display and nostalgia, but I like having white minis recreating that "fresh in the arcade" look.

I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced this happening to them. How do you store your marquees and have you seen inevitable yellowing creep in?

 

[SNKorSWM]

I just put them in a stack in a cardboard box. The yellow ones are really yellow and the white ones are really white. But that's just the way they were when I bought 'em. Needless to say I only put the yellow ones in the marquee light area. Makes the cab look aged. XD

 

[ChuChu Flamingo]

Fluorescent and compact fluorescent bubls fade stuff as well.

 

[Comrade Porn King Mikhail]

Bump.

Getting non-buffered archival photo storage paper sleeves from Light Impressions Direct, hopefully that does the trick.

Everyone I spoke too doesn't seem to have had this issue over time. Maybe it's just my eyes getting worse. I know most people just store their minis within the artpack, which surprises me since that plastic bag is not archival safe. Stupid stuff to worry about I suppose, but there's just nothing like having four old school white minis on display and the cab looking like as new as it did back in 1991.

 

[Nerdy]

The yellowing will happen sooner or later, as it is caused by a chemical used in the making of the plastic (also used on consoles and computers) as a fire retardant

Over time this chemical in contact with the oxygen, will create the yellowish color that we all know, even if it was never exposed to sun or a smoking enviorement.

so yeah, we're screwed.

 

[SNKorSWM]

That means you have to store the mms in a vacuum to keep 'em white, eh? XD

 

[LegoSlug]

That means you have to store the mms in a vacuum to keep 'em white, eh? XD

I was about to say that. Probably the only way to do it honestly.

 

[jesesfbi]

Shoe collectors deal with yellowing too. There is a chemical they use that whitens itback to normal and used successfully on the snes but they will yellow again..another one I head that works well from my buddy who collects action figures saiff corn startch, isopropyl alcohol(I think), oxyclean and microwave it you get a paste that can whiten stuff. But I havemt tried it yet

Edit it was hydrogen peroxide not isopropyl alcohol.

 

[F4U57]

There is a chemical they use that whitens itback to normal and used successfully on the snes but they will yellow again..another one I head that works well from my buddy who collects action figures saiff corn startch, isopropyl alcohol(I think), oxyclean and microwave it you get a paste that can whiten stuff. But I havemt tried it yet

Edit it was hydrogen peroxide not isopropyl alcohol.

Interesting, but I doubt anyone is going to paint a paste onto the whites of their mini marquees.

 

[Jonny l3lanka]

Bump.

Getting non-buffered archival photo storage paper sleeves from Light Impressions Direct, hopefully that does the trick.

Everyone I spoke too doesn't seem to have had this issue over time. Maybe it's just my eyes getting worse. I know most people just store their minis within the artpack, which surprises me since that plastic bag is not archival safe. Stupid stuff to worry about I suppose, but there's just nothing like having four old school white minis on display and the cab looking like as new as it did back in 1991.

Well retro-bright can be used on yellowed consoles or cabs.. but I guess there isn't a way to apply them to mini marquees is there? :3 Could always try dipping one in and see what happens when it dries?

 

[Joneo]

Anything capable of brightening up your MM is ultimately going to accelerate deterioration. If you can store them in a vacuum-sealed container along with a packet of O2 eater, great. IMO if you're going for preservation, repros should be what goes in the cab..

 

[Jonny l3lanka]

Anything capable of brightening up your MM is ultimately going to accelerate deterioration. If you can store them in a vacuum-sealed container along with a packet of O2 eater, great. IMO if you're going for preservation, repros should be what goes in the cab..

Makes sense. What are the quality of those repros like compared to the original ones?