A great card can lose a lot of value from one scratch or soft corner. The fix is cheap: the right sleeve and holder. Here’s what each one does and when to use it.
Penny Sleeves
Thin, soft plastic sleeves that slide over the card. They protect the surface from scratches and fingerprints and are the first layer for almost any card worth keeping. Our Ultra PRO penny sleeves come in packs of 100.
Use for: every card you care about, as the first layer.
Toploaders
Rigid, clear plastic holders that stop cards from bending. Sleeve the card first, then slide it into the toploader. A standard 3″ x 4″ toploader fits most standard-size cards. Our Ultra PRO 3″ x 4″ toploaders come in packs of 25.
Use for: storage, shipping, and sending cards to be graded (see raw vs graded cards for what grading involves).
Thick cards such as patch cards and relics need a thicker toploader or a magnetic one-touch holder. A regular toploader can press on the patch.
Card supplies (they ship with your cards for one shipping charge)
Team Bags
Resealable bags that fit over a toploader. They keep out dust and stop the card from sliding out in transit.
Magnetic ONE-TOUCH Holders
Hard, two-piece holders that snap shut with magnets. They look great on display and suit thick or higher-value raw singles.
Binders
Side-loading binder pages are good for sets and collections, like a run of Pokémon cards. Avoid ring binders that press into the cards closest to the rings.
How to Pack a Card for Shipping
- Put the card in a penny sleeve.
- Slide it into a toploader (or a one-touch).
- Add a team bag, or a small piece of painter’s tape over the top so the card can’t slide out. Never put tape on the card or the sleeve.
- Sandwich it between two pieces of cardboard, or use a small box for valuable cards.
- Always use a tracked service.
Every raw card we sell ships this way, and every order ships with tracking. Shopping for slabs instead? Browse our graded slabs.
Raw cards worth protecting
Sending cards to us? Our Sell your cards page explains how to pack and ship them.
Buy Sports Cards and Pokémon Slabs Online
Once your supplies are sorted, add to the collection. Card Tings sells sports cards, graded cards and PSA slabs and Pokémon slabs online, packed with the same care described above and shipped with tracking.
Live somewhere damp? Read how to store trading cards in Vancouver’s rainy climate.
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