Collector Guides

How to ship cards so they arrive safe, grade condition honestly, and read third-party slabs like PSA, BGS and CGC.

How to mail trading cards

The golden rule: protect against bending, moisture and movement — in that order. Follow these six steps for every sale or trade.

1. Sleeve the card

Slide the card into a penny sleeve — opening facing up so nothing touches the card edge when it goes into the next layer. For graded slabs, skip the sleeve and wrap the slab in a small bubble pouch or foam sheet instead.

2. Add a rigid protector

Put the sleeved card into a toploader (cards under ~$100) or a one-touch magnetic holder (higher value). Never ship a raw card in only a sleeve — envelopes get bent. Tape the top of the toploader with a small piece of painter's tape so the card can't slide out; avoid tape on the card itself.

3. Immobilize it

A card rattling inside a package is how edges chip. Sandwich the toploader between two pieces of corrugated cardboard cut slightly larger than the holder, or use a team bag / graded card bag. For multiple cards, use a card storage box or stack toploaders and tape them together as one brick.

4. Choose the right mailer

Under ~$20: a plain white envelope (PWE) with a stamp is common, but rigid protection is mandatory and tracking isn't included. $20–$100: bubble mailer with USPS Ground Advantage or equivalent tracked service. Over $100: always tracked, and consider signature confirmation. Over $250: signature required, full insurance.

5. Address, label and insure

Write the delivery address exactly as the buyer provided it on CardSwap. Add your return address. Buy insurance equal to the card's market value — it costs a few dollars and is the only protection you have if the package is lost. Keep the receipt and tracking number.

6. Mark it shipped on CardSwap

Enter the tracking number in the order or trade screen the same day you drop it off. The buyer gets notified automatically, and the auto-release clock starts once delivery is confirmed. Ship within the window in the Terms & Conditions — late shipping hurts your completion rate.

Pro tips

Never use Scotch tape directly on a sleeve or toploader edge — residue ruins cards. Use painter's tape.
In humid seasons, add a small silica gel packet to bubble mailers.
Photograph the card next to the packed envelope before sealing — it's your evidence in any dispute.
One card per toploader. Double-stacking scratches surfaces.

Understanding card condition

CardSwap listings use the five standard condition grades. When in doubt, grade one step lower — honest grading protects your rating and your trades.

Near Mint

Baseline price. Market values shown on CardSwap assume NM unless stated otherwise.

A card that looks freshly pulled from a pack. At arm's length it appears perfect; only close inspection under light might reveal a tiny flaw.

Corners

All four sharp. At most one corner with a barely visible touch of white.

Edges

Clean all around. No whitening, chipping or nicks.

Surface

No scratches, print lines, stains or clouding. Full original gloss.

Centering

Roughly 60/40 or better on both axes, front and back.

Lightly Played

Typically sells around 80–90% of NM price.

Minor wear from gentle handling or a few shuffles. Still a nice card, but the flaws are visible when you look for them.

Corners

Light whitening on 1–3 corners. No bends or creases.

Edges

Small spots of edge whitening or a couple of tiny nicks.

Surface

A few light scratches or minor print lines visible under angled light.

Centering

May be noticeably off-center but with no border loss.

Moderately Played

Typically 55–75% of NM price. Popular with players who don't mind wear.

Clear wear from regular play or poor storage. Flaws are obvious at a glance, but the card is still intact and playable in a sleeve.

Corners

Whitening or rounding on most or all corners.

Edges

Whitening along multiple edges, possible small chipping.

Surface

Scratches across the face, fading gloss, maybe a small indent or binder dent. No creases that break the card.

Centering

Any centering; may have a border starting to disappear.

Heavily Played

Typically 30–50% of NM price. Bought for binders on a budget or deck play.

Major wear everywhere. The card has clearly lived a hard life but is still complete and identifiable.

Corners

Heavy rounding, layering or small tears at corners.

Edges

Whitening on all edges, chipping, possible edge bends.

Surface

Heavy scratches, whitening patches, a crease, water ripple, or faded ink. Art still fully visible.

Structure

Card is in one piece with no missing chunks.

DMG

Damaged

Usually 10–30% of NM price. Buyers are mostly collectors filling gaps cheaply.

Structural damage beyond normal play wear. Always disclose damage explicitly with photos — never list a damaged card as HP.

Structural

Tears, holes, missing pieces, or the card is bent hard enough to leave a permanent fold.

Surface

Writing, stamps, heavy water damage, delamination, or severe fading.

Altered

Painted, extended art, trimmed or recolored cards count as damaged unless sold explicitly as an alter.

Structure

May be in multiple pieces (e.g. a torn card kept together in a sleeve).

Value percentages are typical market ranges, not guarantees — rare and vintage cards often hold value better at lower grades.

Third-party grading: PSA, BGS, CGC & SGC

Graded (slabbed) cards are sealed in tamper-proof cases with an official grade. When you list a graded card on CardSwap, select the grading company and grade so buyers can compare like-for-like.

PSA

1–10

Professional Sports Authenticator

The market standard for Pokémon and sports cards. A PSA 10 (Gem Mint) commands the largest premium of any grader. Subgrades are not shown — one overall grade. Slabs are the most liquid: easiest to sell and price-check.

BGS

1–10 (with 9.5)

Beckett Grading Services

Shows four subgrades (centering, corners, edges, surface) on the label. The BGS 10 'Black Label' (all subgrades 10) is the rarest and most valuable grade in the hobby. Popular for high-end modern cards.

CGC

1–10 (with half points)

Certified Guaranty Company

Historically cheaper and faster than PSA, with strong adoption in Magic: The Gathering and comics. CGC 10 'Pristine' sits above a regular 10. Resale premiums are usually a bit below PSA for Pokémon.

SGC

1–10

Sportscard Guaranty

A favorite for vintage sports cards thanks to its tuxedo-black slab and consistent grading. Smaller share of the TCG market but trusted and often better value for pre-war and vintage material.

What the grades mean

Grade	Label	In plain terms
10	Gem Mint / Pristine	Virtually perfect. Equivalent to pack-fresh NM+; commands big premiums.
9	Mint	One tiny flaw. Roughly a strong NM raw card.
8	Near Mint–Mint	Solid NM, minor wear on close inspection.
7	Near Mint	Light wear visible — comparable to LP.
6	Excellent–Near Mint	Noticeable but modest wear, LP/MP territory.
5	Excellent	Moderate wear on corners and surface — like MP.
4	Very Good–Excellent	Clear wear, possible light crease.
3	Very Good	Heavy wear, comparable to HP.
2	Good	Major wear or damage, but complete.
1	Poor	Severe damage; collectible only for extreme rarities.

Should you grade a card?

Grading costs roughly $15–$150 per card depending on service speed. It usually pays off when the card is worth $50+ raw, would plausibly grade a 9 or 10, and the graded premium exceeds the fee. For everything else, selling raw with honest photos and an accurate condition grade is the better play.

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