How to Ship Pokemon Cards Without Risking to Bend Them
How to ship Pokemon cards has always been an issue for collectors and business owners. Card sleeves, loaders, and poly bags will give you a few layers of protection, while padded bubble mailers ensure your cards are less likely to be nicked or bent.
Whether you are a card collector or sell Pokemon cards for a living, you want to ship them in the best possible condition.
They are fragile and improper packaging can ruin them, especially since most courier workers are not bothered about what is inside.
Putting a card in an envelope and sending it like a letter is a no-no.
This guide will teach you how to ship Pokemon cards like a professional, with little to no risk.
Table of Contents
What You Need to Prepare
How to Pack Pokemon Cards
In this guide, you will learn how to ship Pokemon cards safely and efficiently, like a pro. By following these steps, you can minimize the risk of damage during shipping.
1. Get the Card Ready for Shipment
Whether you send a single Pokemon card or more, get them ready for shipment.
Based on how you store the cards, you may need to clean them a bit.
If they are a bit dusty, dust will gather around the tight packaging and could damage the cards permanently.
Make sure everything you use in the shipment is clean. If your cards have not been stored properly, give them a quick wipe with a clean cloth.
2. Place the Card in a Soft Card Sleeve
These soft card sleeves are sometimes known as penny sleeves, ideal for shipping Pokemon cards.
Carefully slide the card inside this sleeve. It is not very hard, so it will not necessarily protect the card against nicks, but it helps against scratches.
If you ship more Pokemon cards, you should use a card sleeve for every one or two cards.
Make sure cards are clean before sliding them in – a bit of dirt between cards could scratch both of them.
3. Use a Sticky Note Flag for Each Soft Card Sleeve
It is not necessarily about the overall protection of the card.
However, this flag must go on top of the soft card sleeve – half of it should be in the air, while the other half should be attached to the sleeve.
The primary purpose is to help the receiver remove the card from the sleeve without damaging any corners.
4. Slide the Sleeve into a Top Loader
A top loader is a hard and rigid plastic case.
It will not protect your Pokemon card against everything, but it ensures relatively good protection against careless handling.
It will prevent it from getting bent over.
5. Slide the Card into a Resealable Poly Bag
Make sure the card is well secure and slide it carefully inside a resealable bag.
While it may look like the card is stable and secure enough until this moment, the truth is a resealable poly bag will prevent it from sliding out during the shipping procedure.
It is an extra safety measure that will prevent quite a few risks.
6. Place the Poly Bag inside a Classic Padded Bubble Envelope
The classic padded bubble envelope will deliver.
Ask for the best-padded unit out there, and even though it costs more than a classic paper envelope, you want this kind of protection.
7. Get Some Shipping Labels, and You are Ready to Go
Get the shipping labels you need, stick them on and ship your package.
Most people choose never to insure it – it depends on how valuable the cards are.
On the same note, you can get the receiver to sign for it – another safety measure in case you send some valuable cards.
How Much Does it Cost to Ship Pokemon Cards?
Shipping Pokemon cards will cost anywhere between $2 and $10.
It depends on more factors, such as the courier you choose too.
Then, insurance will add to the price, as well as the shipping method.
You could send a standard shipment or opt for next-day express delivery, for example.
Then, the amount of Pokemon cards you send is just as significant.
More cards will add to the weight.
If you send a large quantity like dozens of them, you might as well change the shipping and packaging system – a box, lots of packing peanuts, and the packing method as mentioned earlier.
The Cheapest Way to Ship Pokemon Cards
Each courier will charge different rates – most of them do it by weight.
However, if you only send one or two Pokemon cards, you will most likely pay a flat rate.
USPS is probably the cheapest option – no compromises on quality whatsoever.
It is inexpensive and gets the job done.
You will need to purchase shipping labels, which add to the price.
At the same time, you will probably spend about 10 minutes on each package you send.
There is a better and cheaper option that works wonders with USPS.
Pirate Ship allows printing your shipping labels for free, saving time and money.
Printing labels is free, but you will need to sign up for an account.
Overall, this is probably the cheapest option when not sure how to ship Pokemon cards.
Final Thoughts
In short, shipping Pokemon cards is not as difficult as it may seem.
While they are fragile and can be easily bent or nicked, the truth is a little attention to small details will work wonders.
The secret is adding as much padding as possible for an envelope – extra security to prevent cards from sliding out and a bit of protection against poor handling.
As for shipping them, prices vary based on the provider and distance – shipping abroad is more expensive than shipping locally.
The combo mentioned above of USPS and Pirate Ship is probably the most cost-effective option.
