How to Store and Display Illimat Art Cards Safely
By Twogether Studios | Published: 2026-10-17
Category: Tips & Care
A step-by-step routine for storing and displaying Illimat luminary art cards without bending corners, fading ink, or scratching nearby pins and coins.
Quick answer
Keep unused Illimat art cards flat in a rigid, acid-free box away from sunlight, and frame only the cards you want on show. Handle cards by the edges, keep pins and coins in a separate tray so they cannot scratch the art, and check framed pieces every few months for moisture or slipping.
Why Illimat art cards need a different routine from game cards
The luminary cards are printed as small artworks, not play pieces you shuffle. That changes the risks: a bent corner on a game card is annoying, but a bent corner on a card you plan to frame is permanent. The same goes for surface scuffs from loose pins or coins rattling in the same drawer. Treat the art cards as prints first and game components second, and the storage decisions become simpler.
Choose a storage spot before you choose a frame
Decide where the unframed cards will live before you buy anything else. A dark, dry drawer or lidded box in a room with steady temperature is better than a sunny shelf or a damp basement. If you plan to rotate framed pieces, keep a dedicated envelope or box for the cards that are off display so they do not end up loose on a desk.
Keep pins, coins, and cards apart
Metal accessories are the most common cause of small scratches on art cards. Store enamel pins point-down in a pin bag or a small divided tray, and keep the brass Syzygy Coin in its own pouch rather than loose with cards. This matters most for sets that combine art and metal, such as the Stellar Alignment Gift Set, where the coin and the cards arrive together but should not be stored together.
Step-by-step: store and display your Illimat art cards
- Sort display cards from storage cards: Lay out every card and decide which ones go on the wall and which stay stored. Keep the Jeanne D'Arc bonus card with the stored set unless you have a specific display plan for it. Checkpoint: you should have two clear piles, and no card should be left loose on a shelf.
- Sleeve or interleave before boxing: Put each stored card in an acid-free sleeve or place acid-free tissue between cards, then lay them flat in a rigid box. Do not stack heavy objects on top. Common mistake: using rubber bands or clip binders, which dent edges over time.
- Pick frames sized for the cards: The Mysterious Missives cards are 5x7, a standard frame size, so choose frames with that opening and use the mat or spacer that came with them. Avoid tight frames that bow the card. Checkpoint: the card should sit flat with no pressure on the corners.
- Hang frames out of direct sun and damp: Place framed art on an interior wall away from windows, radiators, and bathrooms. Sunlight fades inks and humidity warps paper, even behind glass. Common mistake: hanging a frame above a radiator or in a steamy room.
- Store pins and coins separately: Keep enamel pins in a pin bag or divided tray and the Syzygy Coin in a soft pouch. Never let metal touch the face of an art card. Checkpoint: shake the storage box gently; you should hear no metal sliding against paper.
- Inspect every few months: Open the storage box and check framed pieces for slipping, condensation, or new scratches. Rotate display cards if you want a change, and return the previous ones to the box the same day. Next step: put a reminder in your calendar so the check does not get skipped.
Product facts that affect storage and display
- Illimat: Frameable Luminary Art Card Set: Frameable Luminary art card set featuring Carson Ellis illustrations of all 8 Illimat base game luminaries, blank inside for writing. Because the cards are blank inside, they work as keepsake notes as well as display pieces; store written cards flat so the ink does not press through or smudge.
- Illimat: Mysterious Missives Art Set: Mysterious Missives Art Set includes framable 5x7 art cards with all 8 luminary illustrations, a choice of Illimat enamel pin, and the Jeanne D'Arc bonus luminary card. The 5x7 size is a standard frame size, so you can buy frames off the shelf; the included pin is the item most likely to scratch the cards if stored loose.
- Illimat: Stellar Alignment Gift Set: Stellar Alignment Gift Set includes Illimat Second Edition, a brass Syzygy Coin from Shire Post Mint with Carson Ellis' moon and sun design, and the Jeanne D'Arc bonus luminary card. The coin is a metal accessory, so give it a separate pouch or compartment; the bonus card should go straight into the card storage box rather than staying loose in the game box.
