The plain white envelope — PWE — is how most single-card orders under $20 get shipped, on TCGplayer and everywhere else. It's cheap, fast, and when it's done right, cards arrive in the same condition they left. When it's done wrong, you get bent corners, "your envelope was torn open" messages, and orders returned for postage due. Here's how to do it right.
What you need
- Penny sleeves — the thin soft sleeve that goes on first.
- Toploaders or card savers — rigid (toploader) or semi-rigid (card saver). Standard 3"×4" toploaders fit inside a #10 envelope.
- Painter's tape — to close the toploader. It comes off cleanly; regular tape can leave residue or tear sleeves.
- A stiffener — a folded index card or a piece of thin cardboard sized to the envelope. This is what keeps the envelope from folding around the toploader.
- #10 envelopes (9½″ × 4⅛″), and First-Class stamps.
Step by step
Sleeve the card in a penny sleeve, then slide it into the toploader. Seal the toploader's open end with a small piece of painter's tape so the card can't slide out.
Sandwich the toploader in your stiffener (fold an index card over it) and tape the stiffener lightly so everything moves as one flat piece.
Add a packing slip if you use one — it helps the buyer confirm the order and makes your store look professional.
Address the envelope. Handwriting works, but printing is faster and far easier for USPS to read (see below).
Seal the envelope, add postage (see the next section), and mark the order shipped in TCGplayer.
Postage, and the "nonmachinable" catch
A standard letter up to 1 ounce goes for one First-Class stamp. A sleeved card in a toploader with a stiffener usually stays under an ounce — weigh a few on a kitchen scale to be sure; each extra ounce needs extra postage.
The catch: USPS letters are supposed to be flexible and evenly thick so they can run through sorting machines. An envelope that's rigid, lumpy, or unevenly thick can be classed as nonmachinable, which carries an extra surcharge on top of the stamp. A toploader can push an envelope into that category. Many sellers simply add the nonmachinable surcharge to every PWE to avoid postage-due returns; others use flexible card savers and a thin stiffener to keep the envelope bendable. Check the current rate on USPS.com — it changes with USPS price updates.
Can you ship trading cards Media Mail? No. Media Mail is limited to things like books and recorded media; trading cards don't qualify, and a package caught using it can be returned or charged the difference.
Printing addresses instead of handwriting them
Handwriting 30 envelopes is where a shipping night goes to die. Two faster options, both built into TCG Speed Shipper on every plan, including Free:
- Print straight onto #10 envelopes. Pick the "#10 envelope" format and your return address prints top-left with the buyer's address in the center, ready for a stamp.
- Avery 5160 address labels. Pick "Avery 5160 — 30 per sheet" and stick one label on each envelope. Works with 5160, 8160, and any 30-up 2⅝″ × 1″ sheet.
Either way, print at 100% ("actual size"), not "fit to page," and run one test on plain paper first. Upload the TCGplayer shipping export and the Shipping Plan will also tell you which orders are under $20 and envelope-safe, and which need tracking — so you can print just the envelope orders in one go.
When not to use a PWE
- Orders of $49.99 or more — TCGplayer requires tracking. See TCGplayer Shipping Guidelines.
- Orders where the buyer paid for expedited shipping.
- More cards than fit flat in one toploader — once it's thick, it's a package, not a letter.
- Graded slabs, sealed product, or anything you'd be upset to lose.
Common mistakes
- No stiffener. The toploader protects the card; the stiffener protects the toploader from being folded in the sorting machine.
- Loose toploader. Untaped, the card can slide out and get pinched.
- Too much tape. Buyers hate cutting a card out of a mummy. A small strip is enough.
- Writing "do not bend" on a rigid envelope with one stamp. It won't stop a machine, and it's a hint the envelope may need the nonmachinable surcharge.
FAQ
How do you ship a trading card in a plain white envelope?
Put the card in a penny sleeve, then a toploader sealed with painter's tape, sandwich it in a folded index card or thin cardboard, and mail it in a #10 envelope with First-Class postage.
How many stamps do I need to ship a trading card?
A standard letter up to 1 ounce takes one First-Class stamp. If the envelope is rigid or lumpy, USPS may treat it as nonmachinable, which needs an extra surcharge — check current USPS rates.
Can trading cards be shipped Media Mail?
No. Media Mail is limited to items like books and recorded media; trading cards don't qualify.
Can I print addresses on envelopes for card orders?
Yes. TCG Speed Shipper prints directly onto #10 envelopes or Avery 5160 address labels from a TCGplayer order export, free for up to 10 labels a month.