What Sleeves and Toploaders Do I Need to Ship a Trading Card?
To ship a trading card, put it in a soft penny sleeve inside a rigid 35 pt toploader — unless the card is going to a grading company, in which case use a semi-rigid holder instead, because PSA strictly prohibits toploaders for submissions.
The two-layer shipping stack
Two supplies touch the card, in this order:
- A soft penny sleeve — the baseline first layer for standard-size cards, and the size most 35 pt toploaders are designed to accommodate.
- A 35 pt toploader — the default rigid holder for a standard base card. A base card is roughly 12–20 pt (0.012–0.020 in) thick, and a 35 pt holder accepts a card up to 0.035 in (0.89 mm), so it fits with the penny sleeve on.
Toploaders are made for exactly this job — shipping and short-term storage — but they are not archival-sealed, so they are the transit holder, not the long-term storage plan. See the Toploader PT Decoder for what every PT size accepts.
When the card is thicker
PT rates the card the holder accepts, not the holder itself. If the card will not seat in a 35 pt without force — a thicker insert, a patched card, or a double-sleeved card — step up to 55 pt (0.055 in) rather than pushing it in. Jersey/relic and thicker memorabilia cards need 75 pt (0.075 in).
The grading exception
If the card is being shipped to a grading company, the rules invert. PSA requires each card in a clear penny sleeve inside a semi-rigid holder (Card Saver I format) and strictly prohibits toploaders and screw-downs — a semi-rigid bows open so the card lifts out without dragging its edges past the seams. Our grading supplies page covers PSA's published requirements in full. Requirements change; verify with the grading company before you pack.
Where to get the supplies
Search penny sleeves on Amazon Search 35pt toploaders on Amazon Search semi-rigid holders on Amazon
Frequently Asked Questions
A soft penny sleeve first, then a rigid 35 pt toploader. A modern base card is roughly 12-20 pt thick, and a 35 pt toploader is built to accept a card up to 0.035 inch — which is why a base card fits comfortably inside one even while wearing a penny sleeve.
For a standard base card in one penny sleeve, 35 pt. For thicker inserts and lightly patched cards, step up to 55 pt; jersey/relic and thicker memorabilia cards need 75 pt. A double-sleeved card may exceed a 35 pt holder — step up a size rather than forcing it.
No — PSA strictly prohibits toploaders and screw-down holders for submissions. PSA requires each card in a clear penny sleeve inside a semi-rigid holder (the Card Saver I format), and states a 5% processing and handling charge for non-compliant submissions. Verify current requirements directly with your grading company before shipping.