How to pack and ship Pokémon cards in Australia

One of the most frequently asked questions collectors have is this: what's the best way to pack and ship Pokémon cards? 

Whether you're new to the scene or a seasoned collector, we've laid out all the tips and tricks we've learned over the years. 

Materials needed to pack your Pokémon cards

To pack a single card safely, you need eight (8) things.

1. The card you're sending;
2. A sleeve for the card;
3. A toploader or grading holder (known as a semi-rigid) 
4. Two (2) pieces of cardboard cut slightly larger than your toploader or grading holder
5. Masking tape;
6. Rubber bands
7. A microfiber cloth; and
8. Zip-lock bag

How to pack your Pokémon cards safely

1. Wipe down your card gently with a microfiber cloth (ok, this step isn't mandatory, but it's good practice!) 
2. Place your card in a card sleeve. ACRYLIX™ Soft Sleeves are perfect for this purpose. 
3. Place the sleeved card into either a toploader or semi-rigid. Semi-rigids hold your card in a vacuum, which means it won't move during transit. If you need some, check out our ACRYLIX™ Grading Holders. If you do place the sleeved card into a toploader, put a thin, easy-to-remove piece of masking tape over the opening (this step is to prevent the card from falling out). 
4. Tape the toploader or semi rigid onto your first piece of cardboard. Masking tape is a lot easier to work with, both for you and the receiver. 
5. Place your second piece of cardboard directly on top of the card and then use tape or a rubber band (both vertically and horizontally) to lock the cardboard pieces in place. 
6. Place the contents into a zip-lock bag. This prevents water or moisture from accidentally seeping in. 

Soft card sleeves for storing your Pokémon cards

How to ship small numbers of Pokémon cards

When sending 1-3 cards, many collectors prefer to use an envelope. 

Australia Post prepaid domestic letters with tracking are perfect for this. 

It's important to note that each letter is covered for up to $100 worth of contents.

Some other notes:

• The small prepaid domestic letter has an allowable thickness of 5mm. With a few pieces of cardboard, you can quickly exceed this threshold. The way around it is either:
  • Hope your Australia Post staff aren't anal (which in most cases they aren't), or
  • Drop the letter directly off in a postbox.
• Australia Post warns that "Using this envelope to send rigid items may result in loss or damage, delays in delivery and/or missing tracking scans."
  • While they're mainly talking about keys and USBs, a toploader may be seen as a 'rigid item', which could harm your chances of making a claim with Australia Post if something happens to the card along the way.

You can also choose to send your cards in other similar ways. Some go as far as sending their letters untracked. We don't recommend that. Tracking is essential if you're looking to protect yourself from scammers and sinister buyers. Tracking is also essential if you're selling on an online platform like eBay.

A small Australia Post prepaid domestic letter with tracking

When NOT to send cards in an envelope

It comes down to personal preference; however, we think that if a card is worth more than $250, then you should opt for a small 250g parcel rather than risking it in an envelope.

What happens if something goes wrong? 

Australia Post prepaid domestic letters with tracking and parcels come with $100 of cover included.

• You can add on up to $500 of insurance for an Australia Post prepaid domestic letter with tracking.
• You can add on up to $5,000 for a parcel at a rate.

In both cases, the cost of additional insurance is $2.50 per $100 of cover.

What if you are sending cards off for grading?

Sending cards off for grading is a little more nuanced. The following is based on the PSA grading submission guidelines.

1. Every card goes into a clear penny sleeve. Opaque or coloured sleeves can cause delays.
2. The sleeved card then goes into a Grading Holder (also known as a semi rigid).
   
3. Toploaders are prohibited. So are tape, pull tabs, and sticky notes on the holders. This trips up a lot of first-time submitters.
   
4. Stack the cards in the exact order they appear on your submission form, item one on top. Sandwich the stack between two pieces of cardboard and hold it with two or three rubber bands, snug enough that nothing shifts and loose enough that nothing bends. Wrap it, box it in a new box, fill the empty space, and seal every seam with packing tape.

A Grading Holder or semi rigid required for PSA submissions

How do you pack and send a graded card?

While a graded card is sturdy, if handled incorrectly, it can crack at the corners. We definitely don't recommend using a letter, even the Large Australian Post prepaid domestic letter with tracking. Use a small parcel box every time.

1. Bubble wrap the graded card.
2. Box it with enough filling (whether that's more bubble wrap, packing peanuts or thick paper) that it cannot move when you shake the box.

And there you have it! This is the definitive guide on how to pack and send Pokémon cards in Australia.