How to package cards for grading

The basics: penny sleeve + toploader

Every card goes into a penny sleeve (a thin, soft sleeve) first, then into a toploader (a rigid holder). Slide the card in carefully without touching the surface, always handle cards by the edges. Never put tape directly on the sleeve or the card; if you want to close the toploader, put a piece of painter’s tape (or a resealable team bag) over the toploader’s opening, never over the card itself.

Packing the shipment

Place the toploaders between two pieces of cardboard or in a card box so they cannot shift or bend. Fill the box or padded envelope with padding (bubble wrap, paper) until nothing moves when you shake it. Prefer a sturdy box over an envelope for multiple or valuable cards.

• Penny sleeve around every card, then a toploader.
• Toploaders together between cardboard or in a small box, nothing may shift.
• Padding until the contents are rock solid.
• Include the address and a list of contents, so it is clear which cards belong to the shipment.

Ship tracked and insured

Always ship with tracking, and for valuable cards registered and insured. From the Netherlands use PostNL, from Belgium bpost. Keep the proof of postage until your cards are safely back. The few extra euros for registered mail are nothing compared to what is in the envelope.

What not to do

• Loose cards in an envelope, the sorting machine always wins.
• Tape on the card or sleeve, adhesive residue damages the surface.
• Cleaning or polishing cards before shipping, that is what causes scratches.
• Loose toploaders in a big box without padding.
• Shipping without tracking “because it is only one card”.

The shopping list

Everything you need is available at any card shop or online, and costs just a few euros in total:

• Penny sleeves: thin, soft sleeves, the first layer around every card.
• Toploaders: rigid holders in standard size, the second layer.
• Team bags: resealable bags for toploaders, extra protection against moisture and dust.
• Two pieces of sturdy cardboard or a small card box.
• Bubble wrap or paper as padding.
• A padded envelope or sturdy shipping box, plus painter’s tape to close toploaders.

Several cards in one shipment

Submitting a bundle? Work systematically. Number every card on your contents list and pack in the same order, so on arrival it is immediately clear which card is which. Stack toploaders flat with the openings alternating, wrap the stack in a team bag or cling film so it becomes one solid block, and clamp it between cardboard.

Important: never put multiple cards in one sleeve or one toploader. Cards sliding against each other damage each other, and that surface soon determines a quarter of the assessment.

Moisture is the silent enemy

Rain on the edge of an envelope, a damp letterbox, temperature swings in transit: paper and cardboard absorb moisture and cards can warp. The fix is simple: put the toploaders in a resealable team bag or a well-closed plastic bag before they go into the box. Two seconds of work, and your shipment is weatherproof.

When your cards come back

After grading, every card returns sealed in its slab, and you want to keep that slab as pristine as the card inside. Store slabs upright or flat in a box or display case, out of direct sunlight (UV fades any card, slab or not), and consider a protective sleeve for the slab itself: scratches on the holder are not damage to the card, but they look sloppy when selling.

The certificate number on the label is your proof: anyone can look up the assessment in the public library. Opening the slab breaks the seal and the story, so keep it closed.