Frequently Asked Questions Questions

PT stands for "point" and measures card thickness in thousandths of an inch. A 35PT toploader holds a standard trading card that's 0.035 inches (20 mil) thick. This covers most standard base cards from Pokémon, baseball, basketball, and football sets. For thicker cards like relics, patches, or memorabilia, you'll need 55PT, 75PT, 100PT, 130PT, or 180PT toploaders. Check our complete PT thickness guide to find the right fit for every card in your collection.

Yes, our Premium UV Shield Toploaders block 99.99% of harmful ultraviolet rays. UV exposure causes fading and discoloration over time, which directly impacts the value of your cards. If you display cards on a shelf, in a case, or near any light source, UV Shield Toploaders are essential for long-term value preservation.

The Easy Glide soft sleeve makes loading cards into penny sleeves significantly easier. The pre-cut corner creates an opening point that lets the card slide in smoothly without nicking a corner. It's a simple design change that solves a problem every collector has dealt with. Try them for yourself — most collectors who switch never go back.

We offer toploaders in multiple PT sizes to fit every card type: 35PT (standard cards), 55PT (slightly thicker cards), 75PT (jersey/relic cards), 100PT (thick memorabilia), 130PT (extra-thick patches), and 180PT-360PT (jumbo hits). We also carry specialty sizes for tickets, tallboys, minis and photographs.

Three things set us apart: (1) UV Shield 99.99% UV protection; (2) Seamless frame no exposed seams or rough edges that can scratch cards or catch on sleeves; (3) Thicker window 40% thicker window for superior rigidity and optical clarity.

Armalopes are purpose-built shipping envelopes designed specifically for trading cards. Instead of wrapping your cards in lined paper and stuffing them in flimsy plain white envelopes (PWE), you simply drop your toploader or semi-rigid holder into the Armalope's built-in pocket, seal, and ship. They're lightweight enough to qualify for eBay Standard Envelope rates (single pocket mailers weigh just 0.45 oz), rigid enough to protect cards in transit, and they give your shipments a professional appearance. Learn more about Armalopes.

The Hero Diamond Shell is the toughest protective case ever made for PSA graded slabs. Forged from lightweight polycarbonate that's 30× stronger than acrylic, it shields your graded cards from drops, impacts, and scratches while maintaining full visibility of the label and card. It's designed with a precision fit for PSA slabs — no rattling, no shifting. If you've invested in grading, the Diamond Shell protects that investment.

Yes. All Card Shellz toploaders, penny sleeves, and storage products are made from archival-safe, acid-free materials. They won't leach chemicals onto your cards over time, which means they're safe for long-term storage and display. This is critical for protecting the condition and value of vintage cards and high-value modern hits.

We offer free shipping on all orders over $99. For Shellz Club members, the free shipping threshold drops to just $69. We via UPS, USPS, or FedEx with tracking on every order.

We generally ship within 1-2 business days with extra time allowed for orders placed Fri-Sun due to reduced weekend capacity. We don't work our employees like Amazon dogs =).

Yes, we do and options are available for most countries in checkout. If you don't see options for your location, please contact us for pricing.

Yes — every order ships with tracking. You'll receive a confirmation email with your tracking number as soon as your order ships. You can also track your order by logging into your account on our website.

We ship via UPS, USPS, and FedEx. The carrier is selected based on your location, order size and weight. All shipments include tracking regardless of carrier.

The Shellz Club is our annual membership program designed for serious collectors and sellers who buy supplies regularly. Members get wholesale-level pricing (15-20% off bulk quantities), 3% rewards on every purchase, a reduced free shipping threshold ($69 instead of $99), and access to exclusive wax products and member-only drops. It's the best way to save if you go through supplies consistently.

The Shellz Club is an annual membership. Current pricing and tier details are available on our Shellz Club page. Most members recoup the membership cost within their first 1-2 orders through the bulk pricing discounts alone.

You can sign up directly on our website at the Shellz Club page. Membership activates immediately after sign-up, and you'll see member pricing reflected on all eligible products right away. Your 3% rewards start accumulating on your first order.

Shellz Club members earn 3% back on every purchase as store credit. Rewards accumulate automatically and can be applied to future orders. Combined with the 15-20% bulk pricing discounts and reduced $69 free shipping threshold, most regular buyers save significantly over the course of a year.

We offer a 365-day 100% Happiness Guarantee. If you're not satisfied with any Card Shellz product for any reason, you can return it within 365 days of purchase for a full refund. No questions asked unless it how we can improve. In the U.S. only, we will even cover the return shipping. We stand behind everything we sell.

*International orders we may charge return shipping depending on the products and cost of the return

You can start a FREE return directly in our chat bot on our contact us page.

No we do not offer exchanges at this time. You can return your item for FREE and place another order however for the correct item.

No. We provide prepaid return labels for all returns under our 100% Happiness Guarantee.

We accept all major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover), Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal through Shopify Payments. All transactions are secured with SSL encryption.

Yes — two ways. For individual collectors and sellers who buy regularly, our Shellz Club membership offers 15-20% off bulk quantities. For businesses, card shops, and large-volume buyers, we offer dedicated brick & mortar accounts. Please visit brick and mortar sign up

Yes, as long as the order hasn't shipped yet, you can make changes on your account page. Please not this will cancel the current order and place another one and your refund will be provided automatically on your first order.

Yes. If you're a card breaker, content creator, or influencer in the hobby space, we'd love to work with you. Visit our affiliate program page for details, or reach out to support@cardshellz.com to learn about commission rates and partnership opportunities.

Absolutely. We use Shopify Payments with industry-standard SSL encryption. We never store your full credit card information on our servers. All payment processing is handled through PCI-compliant payment gateways.

PSA requires cards to be submitted in semi-rigid holders (card savers), not toploaders. However, before your card goes into the semi-rigid, it should be in a penny sleeve for extra protection. We recommend our Easy Glide Penny Sleeves paired with our semi-rigid card holders. For storage and display before and after grading, our 35PT UV Shield Toploaders are the best option for standard-thickness cards. Read our complete PSA submission guide for detailed recommendations.

Semi-rigid holders (also called card savers) are flexible plastic holders used primarily for submitting cards to grading companies like PSA, BGS, and SGC. They're required by most grading services because they protect the card during transit while being easy for graders to open without risking damage to the card. Our semi-rigid holders are designed for a precise fit with standard trading cards.

For PSA and BGS submissions: (1) Place each card in a penny sleeve; (2) Insert the sleeved card into a semi-rigid holder; (3) Secure the semi-rigid holder with painter's tape (never tape over the card window); (4) Pack semi-rigids tightly to prevent movement; (5) Ship in a padded box — never in a standard envelope. Our Armalope rigid mailers work well for smaller submissions. For larger batches, use a small box with ample padding.

The Hero Diamond Shell is purpose-built for PSA slab protection. It's made from polycarbonate that's 30× stronger than acrylic and designed with a precision fit for PSA holders. It protects against drops, impacts, scratches, and pressure damage — all without hiding the card or label. If you've invested in grading, the Diamond Shell protects that investment.

For the grading submission itself, you won't use a toploader — you'll use a semi-rigid holder. But PT size absolutely matters for storage before and after grading. A 35PT toploader fits standard cards (most base cards, rookies, and inserts). If you're storing thicker cards like relics or patches before grading, use the appropriate PT size: 55PT, 75PT, or higher. Using a toploader that's too large lets the card shift and potentially get damaged.