# How to ship Pokémon cards in the US

> Envelope, eBay Standard Envelope or Ground Advantage: how to ship Pokémon cards safely, from matching value to service to packing raw and graded cards flat.

Updated October 10, 2026

You ship Pokémon cards in a plain envelope, eBay Standard Envelope or USPS Ground Advantage, based on value and tracking.

Raw cards go in a sleeve and toploader. Graded slabs need a box or rigid mailer to stop corners cracking.

## Plain white envelope

A raw Pokémon card in a penny sleeve and toploader, taped to card stock inside a stamped envelope, ships for a letter stamp or two.

No tracking means no proof of delivery, and marketplaces side with the buyer on missing items. Keep this to low-value cards sold off-platform or where the buyer accepts the risk.

## eBay Standard Envelope

eBay's tracked letter service for cards and similar flat items costs far less than a package. It is for eBay sales under a set value, and the envelope has size, weight and thickness limits.

Check eBay's current rules: send it outside them and USPS can return the envelope or eBay can charge you.

## Ground Advantage for value

Pokémon cards over about $20, slabs, and lots go as a package with USPS Ground Advantage. It includes tracking and some insurance.

Since July 2026, USPS commercial pricing charges one rate per zone for every package under a pound, so a single slab and a small lot cost the same to ship.

## Packing raw cards

Sleeve and topload the card, then seal with a team bag or painter's tape over the top so it cannot slide out. Sandwich the toploader between two pieces of cardboard for envelopes.

For packages, tape the toploader to a stiff card inside a bubble mailer to stop bending.

## Packing graded slabs

Wrap the slab in bubble wrap and use a small box or a rigid mailer, not a soft bubble mailer. Pokémon slab corners crack when a soft mailer takes a knock.

Add insurance on the label for slabs worth more than the included cover, and photograph the slab before packing.

## Whatnot and TikTok Shop orders

On Whatnot and TikTok Shop you print labels from the app, and the platform combines a buyer's Pokémon card wins into one package. Pack each card the same way and add a packing slip with the buyer's username.

For breaks, sort cards by buyer as you open each pack, so packing finishes when the show does.

## Checklist

- [ ] Sleeve and toploader every Pokémon card
- [ ] Seal toploaders with a team bag or tape
- [ ] Use eBay Standard Envelope for eligible eBay sales
- [ ] Send Pokémon cards over about $20 as tracked packages
- [ ] Box or rigid-mail every graded slab
- [ ] Add insurance for slabs over the included cover

## Kit for this

- **[Penny sleeves, 1,000 pack](https://sellersetups.com/us/product/penny-sleeves)** ($6 to $14): Stops surface scratches before the card goes into a toploader. At this pack size each sleeve costs about a penny.
- **[35pt toploaders, 100 pack](https://sellersetups.com/us/product/toploaders)** ($10 to $20): Buyers on Whatnot and eBay expect any card worth more than a few dollars to arrive sleeved and toploaded. A bent card means a refund.
- **[Resealable team bags, 100 pack](https://sellersetups.com/us/product/team-bags)** ($5 to $10): A team bag over the toploader holds the card in place and keeps moisture out, for a few cents a card.

## Questions

### What is a PWE?

A plain white envelope with a stamp ships low-value Pokémon cards. It has no tracking.

### Can I use eBay Standard Envelope for graded Pokémon cards?

No. Slabs exceed its thickness limit. Ship them as a package.

### How much does it cost to ship one Pokémon card?

It costs from the price of a letter stamp to a package rate of several dollars, depending on the method.

### Do I need insurance for Pokémon cards?

Ground Advantage includes some. Add more for slabs or lots worth more than that.

### How do I stop Pokémon cards bending?

A toploader plus stiff card stock on both sides stops bending, inside the envelope or mailer.

### Should I ship Pokémon cards in a box?

You ship slabs and big lots in a box. Raw singles travel fine in a bubble mailer with a toploader.