How to Package Baseball Cards for Shipping

Whether you are shipping your baseball cards to your nephew in Philadelphia or sending off a lot of cards you sold on eBay, it is vital that you package them properly. Baseball cards must stay in mint condition to retain any value. Specific considerations have to be met when shipping them through the mail. How large a box should you use? Should each card be sleeved? Here's a step-by-step approach to packaging baseball cards for shipping.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sports-card sleeves
• Sports-card top loaders
• Clear tape
• Shipping tape
• Card boxes
• Bubble mailers
• Shipping peanuts

Single Cards

1. Place the baseball card into a soft penny sleeve, taking special care not to catch the corners of the card on the sleeve. This can be accomplished by placing the card bottom-left-corner-first into the sleeve, then allowing the rest of the card to slip safely into the now-open plastic.

2. Use a top loader to further protect the sleeved baseball card. This is a hard plastic holder that can be found in any card shop. Place the baseball card into the top loader according to the same process you followed in Step 1.

3. Tape the top of the hard plastic top loader with clear Scotch tape. Make sure to run the tape the length of the entire opening of the top loader, so the card does not slip out in transit.

4. Repeat this process for any other single cards going into the shipment. If you are sending a number of cards, tape them all together in the top loaders for added support.

5. Place the top-loaded cards in a bubble mailer of the kind you might find in an office-supply store. These bubble mailers should fit the overall size of the cards as closely as possible, and thus keep movement of the cards to a minimum.

Bulk Cards

6. Place large amounts of cards in baseball card boxes. These boxes are generally white, and come in small, medium, large and extra-large sizes. Pick the size that fits the number of cards you are shipping.

7. Fill the gaps between the lid and the cards in with shipping peanuts. This is vital to keeping the cards from shifting and moving in transit. Fill in the gaps lightly, however, and make sure all of the rows of cards are tightly filled.

8. Tape the white cardboard baseball card boxes with extra-strength shipping tape. This tape should be used on the sides, top and bottom of the box. Tape the box at least twice, as the weight of the box can work even the best tape loose.

9. On a separate sheet of paper, print the name and address of the person to whom you are sending the baseball cards. Then tape the piece of paper to the card boxes. This will keep the box clean and useful to the person receiving the cards. If you must put a shipping address on the box itself, put it on the bottom.

10. Carry the box to the post office and request insurance. This is very important for large shipments. If the box is bounced around in transit, the cards could be damaged. Get the insurance so you are protected.

Tips & Warnings

• Always double-tape everything.
• Make sure to get the insurance on shipping.
• Never send cards in penny sleeves alone.
• Never send cards in envelopes.

[zaw1122]

on 1/7/2009 The #5 tip in the bulk section is so wrong. Bulk lost and sets should never be sent inside storage boxes, they just offer no protection from handling. Any bump into a corner or edge of the box "dings" all the corners of the cards in that area. Bulk lots and sets should always be double boxed! Insurance offers no protection as the carrier might deem the packaging improper, they do have packaging standards. Baseball cards are fragile and their values are based on condition, these facts should not be ignored while packaging for shipment.