How to protect your TCG cards, boosters and displays (and prepare a grading submission)

Why protect your cards and sealed products?

Whether it's Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering or Riftbound, the condition of a card or a sealed product has a direct impact on its value and how long it lasts. A crease, a scratch or a trace of moisture can lower a card's grade during a grading submission, or simply damage a piece you plan to keep for a long time. A few simple habits are enough to limit the risks.

Protecting your single cards

For cards you handle regularly (playing, trading, everyday collecting):

• Soft sleeve: the first line of defense against micro-scratches and dust, to use as soon as you take the card out of its packaging.
• Toploader or rigid case: for valuable cards or ones headed for shipping (sale, trade, grading), rigid protection prevents creasing during transport.
• Binder with punched pages: handy for storing and browsing a collection, as long as you use quality pages that won't stick to the cards over time.
• Avoid direct light, heat and humidity: card stock can warp, yellow or buckle over time if stored near a window, a radiator, or in a humid room.
• Handle by the edges: avoid touching the card's surface, especially for shiny cards (holo, foil), which mark more easily.

Protecting your sealed boosters and displays

A sealed product loses value as soon as it's opened or damaged, even without being played. A few precautions:

• Don't stack heavy objects on a display or box, the cardboard can warp.
• Store flat, somewhere dry and temperature-controlled, away from direct sunlight.
• Avoid temperature swings (a damp basement, an attic, a car in summer) which can warp packaging and affect the cards inside.
• Keep the original packaging if you plan to resell the sealed product later: a repackaged display or booster loses all collector value.

Getting your cards graded: how it works

Grading means having a card's condition authenticated and rated by an independent specialized company. The card receives a grade (usually on a scale up to 10, with the top grade often called "Gem Mint") and is sealed in a tamper-proof rigid case (a "slab") that protects the card and displays its certification.

The best-known grading companies in the TCG world include PSA, Beckett (BGS) and CGC Cards. Each has its own grading scale, turnaround times and pricing depending on the service level chosen: it's best to check the chosen company's own website for current turnaround times and prices, as they change regularly.

The criteria generally evaluated

• Centering: how well the artwork is aligned relative to the card's edges.
• Corners: whether there's wear or whitening.
• Edges: white marks or nicks along the card's borders.
• Surface: scratches, fingerprints, print defects.

Tips before submitting a card for grading

• Never clean a card yourself (cleaning products, a damp cloth, an eraser): this can be considered an alteration and disqualify the submission.
• Handle the card with clean, dry hands, ideally by the edges.
• Ship the card protected in a soft sleeve then a rigid toploader, without tape directly on the card.
• Check beforehand which cards are eligible and the turnaround times announced by the chosen company, which can vary depending on the period (high demand after a set release, for example).
• Compare service levels (standard, express...) based on the card's value and your budget.

In summary

A sleeve, a toploader, and storage away from light and humidity are enough to protect the bulk of a collection day to day. For your most valuable pieces, or before a grading submission, rigid protection and careful handling make all the difference to the final grade. Find our verified cards and original sealed products in our Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering and Riftbound collections, and track your collection right from your account with our collection tracking tool.