Guide 02 · Sleeving & Shipping · 2 min read
How to double-sleeve a card
Double-sleeving puts a card inside two sleeves, the inner one turned upside down, so neither opening is left exposed. Here's the method I use for every keeper, then exactly how shop orders leave the door.
Collector PSA
Sleeve It Right, Son
This is how I store the keepers, and how I think every collector should. Perfect Fit hugs the surface, Penny rides outside, toploader locks the whole thing rigid.
Perfect Fits are sized for Pokemon-style cards; sports collectors usually swap in a thicker semi-rigid. Not every card in the shop ships this way, but every card I keep does.
Perfect Fit, snug
Slide the card into a perfect-fit inner sleeve. It is cut a hair bigger than the card, so it hugs the surface and keeps dust off the face.
Penny sleeve, open end first
Turn the sleeved card so the perfect fit's opening points down, then slide it into a penny sleeve open end first. Each sleeve's opening now sits against the other's closed end.
Toploader, locked
Slide the pair into a toploader. The rigid frame locks the whole stack flat so the card can't bend.
Key · Layer Index
Perfect Fit
Inner sleeve · snug to surface
Penny Sleeve
Outer · soft shell
Toploader
Rigid frame · locked
Fig. 01 · Double-Sleeve Protocol
Then It Ships
Two Ways Out the Door
Shop orders ship by price, exactly as each listing says. Under $20 rides eBay Standard Envelope with tracking. $20 and up, and every slab, goes bubble mailer for the extra padding.
- Penny sleeve
- Semi-rigid holder
- Envelope
PWE
eBay Standard Envelope · Tracked
Penny sleeve inside a semi-rigid card holder, sent by eBay Standard Envelope with tracking. The hobby standard for inexpensive singles.
Tier
Under $20 · Tracked
Carrier
USPS · DFW → You
- Penny sleeve
- Rigid holder
- Protective bag
- Bubble mailer
Bubble Mailer
Padded · Tracked
Raw cards go in a penny sleeve, rigid card holder and protective bag inside a padded mailer. Every slab ships this way. Cards $100 and up add signature confirmation on delivery.
Tier
$20 and up · Every slab
Carrier
USPS · Signature at $100+
Fig. 02 · Shipping Methods · Out-the-Door Index