Card Supplies for Grading Submission: PSA & CGC Packing Lists
The exact supplies PSA requires versus what CGC requires, why the semi-rigid rule exists, what a submission costs in supplies, and the mistakes that cause processing holds.
Getting the supplies wrong on a grading submission doesn't usually ruin your cards — it delays them, sometimes by weeks, in a process that already takes months. This is the exact packing list for PSA and for CGC, the differences between them, and the mistakes that actually cause holds.
The PSA packing list
From PSA's own published packaging guidance:
1. A clear penny sleeve on every card. PSA specifically says to avoid solid or opaque sleeves, because a grader can't assess through them and the submission gets set aside. Any clear polypropylene penny sleeve works — see best penny sleeves.
2. A semi-rigid holder, 3 5/16" x 4 7/8" for standard cards, with both sides of the card fully visible. Card Saver I matches this spec exactly, which is why it's the default. BCW Semi-Rigid #1 is dimensionally close. BCW Semi-Rigid #2 is not — check the number on the box.
3. No toploaders. PSA's guidance explicitly lists toploaders alongside tape, pull tabs and sticky notes as things not to use.
4. Cardboard dividers above and below the stack.
5. Two or three rubber bands — tight enough to stop cards shifting in transit, loose enough not to press or bow them. Over-tightening is a real damage source.
6. A sturdy shipping box with the stack immobilized inside. Movement in transit is what causes corner damage.
Why the semi-rigid rule exists
It isn't arbitrary and it isn't a brand deal. A grader removes your card by sliding it out from the semi-rigid's half-inch lip, without flexing the holder or touching the card face. Card Saver I's 3 5/16" x 4 7/8" dimensions match PSA's spec precisely, so the process is fast and identical every time.
A toploader has no lip and grips the card. Getting a card out means either flexing it free or cutting the holder open — slower, and with a real chance of damage. Multiply by thousands of cards a day and you understand why it's a policy.
Two honest caveats
On enforcement. PSA's published policy prohibits toploaders and cites processing delays. Some collectors report toploader submissions being processed without issue anyway. The verified claim is about the policy, not the outcome — but planning around the exception is a bad trade against a months-long turnaround.
On thick cards. PSA publishes no exception or alternative spec for cards too thick for a Card Saver I. Community practice is Card Saver IV, which holds cards up to 4" x 6". That's convention, not policy — if you're submitting valuable thick cards, contact PSA rather than guessing.
The CGC packing list — genuinely different
CGC's published requirements are much lighter:
1. A protective sleeve on every card.
2. A semi-rigid sleeve "sturdy enough to allow us to remove the card safely."
3. Cardboard sandwich, rubber bands not overtightened.
4. Bubble wrap and a sturdy sealed box.
5. Mark the box sides "WK" for WalkThrough or "EX" for Express if using those tiers.
CGC publishes no toploader prohibition and no dimension spec. A lot of content asserts CGC mirrors PSA's rules. It doesn't. CGC states a functional requirement — the holder must let them get the card out safely — and sells its own 3.25" x 4.25" semi-rigid.
Practically, a Card Saver I satisfies CGC as easily as it satisfies PSA, so if you submit to both, standardizing on Card Saver I is the simplest path.
What a submission actually costs in supplies
For a 20-card submission:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| 20 penny sleeves | ~$0.25 |
| 20 Card Saver I | ~$1.60 |
| Cardboard, bands, box | ~$2–$4 |
| Insured inbound shipping | $10–$30 |
| Total supplies + inbound | ~$14–$36 |
Supplies themselves are trivial — under $6. Shipping is the real line item, which is a good argument for batching submissions and for using a local shop's bulk submission service. Many card shops accept submissions on your behalf and fold your cards into a larger order, which spreads the shipping cost.
For the grading fees themselves, see PSA grading cost 2026, and run the numbers in is PSA grading worth it before you commit.
The mistakes that cause holds
Opaque or colored sleeves. Explicitly called out by PSA.
Toploaders. Against stated policy.
Tape anywhere. On the holder, on the sleeve, holding the stack together — all listed as things not to do.
Sticky notes with card info. Same list. Your submission form carries the card details; the cards themselves should be clean.
Rubber bands cinched tight. Bows the stack and presses cards.
Wrong-size semi-rigid. The BCW #1 versus #2 distinction catches people constantly.
A loose stack in an oversized box. Everything shifts, corners take the impact.