New in November 2026: TCGplayer now prints free USPS tracking on its packing slip for envelope orders of $49.99 or less, so most single Riftbound cards in a #10 window envelope can get tracking scans for the price of a stamp. See which orders use the tracked slip and which need a label.
Riftbound, the League of Legends trading card game, ships like other trading cards: sleeve, toploader, stiffener, envelope. Three things make an order different. A deck can run up to three copies of a card by name (Ultimate Guard: composition of a Riftbound deck), so one order line can be a full playset. Some cards also come as alternate-art, overnumbered and signed versions (Riot: Collectability in Riftbound: Origins), so you have to pack the right version. And sealed boxes need a real box, not an envelope.
Also shipping other games? See How to Ship MTG Cards, How to Ship Pokémon Cards, How to Ship Yu-Gi-Oh! Cards, How to Ship Lorcana Cards, How to Ship Flesh and Blood Cards and How to Ship One Piece Cards for the same workflow.
The short answer
- One low-value single: a standard sleeve, a toploader, painter’s tape, and a cardboard stiffener inside a plain white envelope (PWE).
- A playset of three: sleeve each copy, keep them together in a rigid holder with a stiffener on each side, and check every card against the order.
- An alternate-art, overnumbered or signed card: a rigid toploader with a stiffener on each side, packed flat, with tracking based on the order value.
- Booster boxes and decks: a sturdy box with padding on every side, weighed when fully packed, sent with a tracked service.
- Expensive orders: use tracking; TCGplayer’s seller guidance calls for signature confirmation at its high-value threshold.
TCGplayer’s shipping guide recommends tracking over $20, requires it over $49.99, and requires signature confirmation over $250. Check the seller shipping thresholds and the current stamp prices before you choose between an envelope and a parcel.
Do Riftbound cards need a special sleeve?
No. Riftbound cards are the standard card size, about 63 × 88 mm (2.5 × 3.5 inches), the same as Magic and Pokémon cards (Riftbound Guide: best sleeves for Riftbound cards). Standard-size sleeves fit. Small sleeves, sold for Yu-Gi-Oh! and other smaller cards, are too tight.
For shipping, that means a standard sleeve, then a toploader and a stiffener. Give the package a gentle shake before you seal it: if the card moves, add a stiffener.
How to ship a single Riftbound card in a plain white envelope
The basic stack is the same on every marketplace: a sleeve, something rigid, and an outer mailer (CardNexus: How to Ship TCG Cards Safely). For a suitable low-value single, the outer mailer can be a stamped plain white envelope.
Sleeve. Put the card in a standard-size sleeve.
Topload. Slide the sleeved card into a rigid toploader. Give it a gentle shake: if it moves, add a stiffener behind it.
Secure. Use a small strip of painter’s tape across the opening or place the toploader in a team bag. Keep adhesive away from the card.
Stiffen. Sandwich the protected card between thin cardboard or a folded index card.
Address. Put the bundle in the envelope, seal it, and apply postage for the complete mailpiece.
For envelope folds and USPS shape checks, see the plain white envelope guide.
How to ship a playset of three
Because a deck can hold three copies of a card, a playset is an ordinary order. The risk is mixing up versions, not damage, so check before you sleeve:
Check. Match each card to its order line: the name, the number printed on the card, and the version, regular or a special print.
Sleeve. Put each copy in its own standard-size sleeve.
Hold. Keep the three together in a rigid holder that fits the stack without squeezing it, or use one toploader per card for expensive copies.
Stiffen. Put a stiffener on each side of the holder or holders so nothing slides.
Weigh. Three sleeved cards weigh more than one. Weigh the complete envelope and choose postage for that mailpiece, not for one card.
How many stamps does a Riftbound card need?
Stamp count depends on the complete mailpiece, not just the number of cards. Weigh the sealed envelope and check current letter postage and machinability rules in the trading-card stamp guide. A playset in a rigid holder is heavier and stiffer than a single in a toploader, so do not reuse the single-card postage.
How to ship alternate-art, overnumbered and signed cards
These versions are separate listings from the regular card and can be priced very differently, so give them the strongest packing in your stack:
- Check the version against the order line before you pack, so the right print goes out.
- Use a rigid toploader, not just a sleeve, with a stiffener on each side of it.
- Close the toploader opening with painter’s tape or a team bag, and keep the package flat.
- Handle the card by its edges. Glossy and foil surfaces show fingerprints and scratches.
- Choose tracking by order value, not by the name of the rarity.
How to ship Riftbound booster boxes and decks
Sealed product is not an envelope job. Boxes crush at the corners, and a bubble mailer gives them no structure. Pack it this way:
Box. Choose a sturdy shipping box that holds the product with a little room all round.
Pad. Fill the gaps with paper or bubble wrap so the product cannot slide, and keep the corners protected.
Weigh. Weigh the packed box and choose postage for that parcel. USPS Ground Advantage is one tracked option.
Check the order value too: TCGplayer’s tracking and signature thresholds still apply.
When to use tracking or Ground Advantage
Use order value, not the game or card count, to decide how much visibility you need. The TCGplayer seller-guide wording is:
| TCGplayer order value | Guidance | Practical option |
|---|---|---|
| Under $20 | Tracking is not required. | A stamped PWE may suit a low-value single. |
| $20.01 to $49.99 | Tracking is recommended for your own protection. | Choose a PWE or a tracked service based on the order. |
| Over $49.99 | Tracking or delivery confirmation is required. | Use a tracked parcel service such as USPS Ground Advantage. |
| Over $250 | Tracking and signature confirmation are required. | Use a tracked parcel with signature confirmation. |
These are TCGplayer thresholds. A plain stamp is not tracking. Ground Advantage is a practical tracked-parcel option; compare the service and current postage for the packed shipment. See the full seller shipping guidelines, and for a slab, the graded-card shipping guide. If tracking shows a missing delivery, see the lost-package steps for TCGplayer sellers.
Shipping during a new-set rush
A new set brings a burst of orders in a few days. Three habits keep the pile from turning into mistakes:
- Restock sleeves, toploaders, stiffeners and envelopes before release week, not during it.
- Print a day’s labels in one batch from your order export instead of one at a time. The same advice applies to the holiday rush.
- Set a daily cutoff for packing so the same hour of each day handles the same pile.
Common Riftbound shipping mistakes
- Using small or Japanese-size sleeves, which are too tight for a Riftbound card.
- Packing the regular print when the order says alternate art, overnumbered or signed, or the other way round.
- Mixing versions in a playset: two regular copies and one alternate art.
- Sending a premium version in only a sleeve and a bubble mailer, with no rigid support.
- Putting a valuable order in a PWE even though its TCGplayer value calls for tracking or a signature.
- Shipping a booster box or deck in an envelope or a soft mailer instead of a padded box.
FAQ
How do you ship Riftbound cards safely?
Sleeve the card, slide it into a rigid toploader, add a cardboard stiffener, and mail it in a plain white envelope when the order is low in value. Add tracking when the order value or marketplace guidance calls for it.
What size sleeve do Riftbound cards need?
Riftbound cards are the standard 63 × 88 mm size, the same as Magic and Pokémon, so standard-size sleeves fit. Small sleeves, sold for Yu-Gi-Oh! cards, are too tight.
How do you ship a playset of three Riftbound cards?
Sleeve each copy, keep the three together in a rigid holder with a stiffener on each side, and check every card against the order, including its art version. Weigh the complete envelope and choose postage for that mailpiece.
How do you ship alternate art, overnumbered and signed Riftbound cards?
Use a sleeve, a rigid toploader and a stiffener on each side, then a team bag or a snug box. Choose tracking by order value; on TCGplayer, orders over $250 also need signature confirmation.
How do you ship Riftbound booster boxes and decks?
Use a sturdy box with padding on every side instead of an envelope or bubble mailer. Weigh the packed parcel and choose a tracked service such as USPS Ground Advantage.
When does a Riftbound order need tracking?
On TCGplayer, orders over $49.99 need tracking or delivery confirmation, and orders over $250 also need signature confirmation. See the seller shipping guide.