Dice Storage Tips: How to Store Mini, Metal, and Inclusion Dice

Quick answer

Store each dice type separately in a padded, closed container: mini dice in a small compartment so they do not scatter, metal and plated dice in individual slots or soft pouches so they cannot chip each other, and inclusion or gemstone dice on a soft lining that keeps them from rubbing. Keep everything out of direct sun and away from heat, and never store loose dice in a hard tin without a lining.

Most dice damage does not happen during a roll. It happens in the bag, box, or drawer where dice sit between sessions, knocking against each other for weeks at a time. The fix is not expensive gear; it is a repeatable storage routine built around what each material can tolerate.

This guide walks through that routine in order, from sorting your collection to labeling the containers you actually use. It covers mini, metal and plated, inclusion, and gemstone dice, since each one fails in a different way when stored carelessly.

Start by sorting dice by material, not by set

Before you buy a single pouch, empty your collection onto a soft surface and group it by material: acrylic and resin, metal or aluminum-plated, gemstone or glass, and mini dice of any material. Material determines how a die can be stored, so a mixed bag of acrylic and metal will always end with the softer dice taking the wear.

Mini dice get their own group even when they are acrylic, because their small size changes the storage problem. A 10mm set can slip through gaps in a standard pouch, roll under furniture, and disappear into the bottom of a large bag where you will not notice a missing d4 until the middle of a session.

• Keep the original packaging for any set you might trade or resell later.
• Photograph each set once so you can confirm all seven dice are present after a move or convention.

Choose a container that matches the material

For metal and aluminum-plated dice, the container needs to stop metal-on-metal contact. Individual slots, a lined tray, or a soft pouch per set all work. A padded dice tray doubles as a rolling surface, which means the same item protects the dice in transit and keeps them from skidding off the table during play.

For gemstone, glass, and inclusion dice, the priority is a soft, non-abrasive lining. These materials can scratch or cloud when they rub against harder edges, so a padded surface is not optional. Acrylic and resin dice are the most forgiving and can share a standard bag, but they still benefit from a lining that keeps numbers from wearing against each other.

• If a container has no lining, add a folded microfiber cloth before the dice go in.
• Avoid hard plastic boxes with sharp interior corners for anything but acrylic.

Store mini dice so they stay together

A mini polyhedral set is small enough to fit in a pocket, which is exactly why it gets lost. Give mini dice a dedicated small compartment, a tiny drawstring pouch, or a snap case that closes fully. The goal is one container per set, not one container for all your minis, because a single spilled pouch can scatter seven tiny dice across a room.

If you carry mini dice to conventions or game nights, keep them in the same pocket or case every time. A fixed location means you notice a missing die immediately rather than at the next session.

• Count the set after every session: d4, d6, d8, d10, d10 (00-90), d12, d20.
• Skip open-top cups for mini dice; they tip easily in a backpack.

Control light, heat, and pressure

Long-term storage is mostly about what you keep away from the dice. Direct sunlight and heat can affect acrylic and plated finishes over time, and heavy pressure, such as a full book stack on top of a dice bag, can warp or crack thinner pieces. Store dice in a drawer, shelf, or case that stays at room temperature.

Do not stack heavy containers on top of soft pouches, and do not leave dice in a hot car between sessions. If you display dice, rotate them occasionally so the same face is not always taking the light.

• Keep dice away from radiators, windowsills, and car gloveboxes.
• Store bags upright rather than crushed under other gear.

Clean before you store, not after

Dice pick up skin oils, snack residue, and table grit during play. Storing them dirty traps that grit against the surface, where it acts like sandpaper every time the bag moves. A quick wipe with a soft, slightly damp cloth before the dice go back in their container removes most of the problem.

Let dice dry completely before closing the container. Trapped moisture is a bigger risk to plated and metal finishes than ordinary handling, and it can leave spots on polished stone.

• Use a dry microfiber cloth for a final pass after any damp wipe.
• Never soak dice in water or use harsh cleaners.

Label and rotate your storage

Once your collection grows past a few sets, labeling is what keeps the routine working. Write the set name and material on a small tag or the outside of the pouch so you can grab the right dice without opening five bags. This also makes it obvious when a set has been sitting untouched for months.

Rotate what you actually play with. Dice that never leave the shelf still accumulate dust and still need the same light and heat protection, so treat stored sets as part of the collection you maintain, not as items you can forget.

• Do a full inventory once or twice a year and re-check every set for missing dice.
• Move rarely used sets to a stable, closed container rather than an open display.

Your seven-step dice storage routine

1. Sort by material: Group acrylic, metal or plated, gemstone or glass, and mini dice into separate piles before choosing any container. Checkpoint: if a pile mixes metal with acrylic, split it again.
2. Match the container to the material: Use individual slots or soft pouches for metal and plated dice, and a padded lining for gemstone, glass, and inclusion dice. Mistake to avoid: dropping loose metal dice into a bare tin.
3. Give mini dice their own compartment: Keep each 10mm set in a closed pouch or snap case rather than combining minis in one bag. Checkpoint: count all seven dice after each session.
4. Control light, heat, and pressure: Store dice at room temperature, out of direct sun, and never under heavy stacked containers. Mistake to avoid: leaving dice in a hot car or on a sunny windowsill.
5. Clean before storing: Wipe dice with a soft, slightly damp cloth, then dry them fully before they go back in the container. Checkpoint: no moisture and no grit before the container closes.
6. Label every container: Tag each pouch or case with the set name and material so you can grab the right dice without opening everything. Mistake to avoid: unlabeled bags that hide which set is missing dice.
7. Review and rotate twice a year: Do a full inventory, re-check for missing dice, and move rarely used sets into stable closed storage. Next step: replace any container that has developed a tear or lost its lining.

Products that fit this storage routine

• Ethereal Green 10mm Mini Polyhedral Dice Set: At 10mm, these mini dice sets easily fit in your pocket, and each polyhedral set comes with 7 dice (d4, d6, d8, d10, d10 (00-90), d12, and d20). The small size that makes them portable is also why they need a dedicated closed compartment rather than a shared bag.
• Black and Red Marble with Gold Numbers 10mm Mini Poly Dice Set: At 10mm, these mini dice sets easily fit in your pocket, and each polyhedral set comes with 7 dice (d4, d6, d8, d10, d10 (00-90), d12, and d20). A second mini set is a good reason to use one pouch per set instead of combining minis, which makes a missing die much harder to spot.
• D&D Masterworks Series Dice Tray: Larry Elmore: FanRoll partners with Dungeons and Dragons on a line of accessories highlighting artists and artwork from D&D history, and this first collection features three top artists from the 1970s and 80s. A padded tray gives dice a soft place to land during play and a lined place to rest between sessions, which covers two storage problems at once.
• Zircon Glass Birthstone Dice: August- Peridot: Carved from zircon glass, these dice resemble birthstones and come with engraved gold numbers; FanRoll recommends rolling zircon glass dice on padded surfaces like padded dice trays. Glass and gemstone-style dice are the clearest case for a soft lining both when rolling and when stored.

Good dice storage is mostly consistency: sort by material, give mini dice their own closed space, line anything that can scratch, and keep the whole collection away from heat and sun. Set up that routine once and your dice will look the same after years of play as they did on day one.