Grading & Submission
How to Ship Cards to PSA
Everything after the box is packed, including the records you will want if something goes wrong.
By Brijon M. · Published October 6, 2026 · Last updated October 6, 2026
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The short answer
Tracked, insured to the declared value, and scanned before it leaves
The shipping decisions are simple and the records are the part people skip. Track it, insure it to the value you declared, photograph or scan every card and the packed box before sealing, and keep the submission form copy. If anything goes wrong, those records are the only thing you will have.
Shipping is the short part of grading and the one with the largest single downside. Everything here is about making a bad outcome unlikely and, if it happens anyway, documented.
Before you seal the box
- Scan or photograph both sides of every card, at a resolution high enough to show surface and corners. Once a card is slabbed you cannot re-photograph it properly, and if it sells you never will.
- Check the stack against the submission form one card at a time, in order, item one on top.
- Confirm your declared value is within the cap of the service level you selected. A declared value above your tier's limit means your order needs reworking.
- Photograph the packed box with the stack visible before you close it.
- Keep a copy of the submission form for yourself.
Carrier, tracking and insurance
Use a tracked service, always, and insure the shipment to the value you declared. The declared value on your submission form is what the grader insures while the cards are in their care; the carrier's insurance is what covers the journey. They are two different things and you want both.
Require a signature if your carrier offers it. A package of graded-quality cards left on a doorstep is the one failure mode that has no remedy.
Quick picks
| # | Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CG Cardboard Gold Card Saver 1 Semi-rigid holders at the stated size — the preparation the shipment assumes is already done. What is in the box | Standard modern cards going to PSA | Check price on Amazon |
| 2 | E Epson Perfection V600 Photo Scanner A flatbed scan of both sides of every card is the only documentation you will have of its pre-submission condition. The record before it leaves | High-quality flatbed card scans | Check price on Amazon |
| 3 | B BCW Graded Card Storage Box Slabs come back in a shipment that needs a destination. Sort that out before they arrive, not after. Ready for the return | Storing slabs you are not displaying | Check price on Amazon |
#ad We earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no cost to you. Prices move constantly, so we link to the live listing instead of printing a number that would be wrong next week. How we are funded.
1. What is in the box
Cardboard Gold Card Saver 1
Cardboard Gold · Standard modern cards going to PSA
The semi-rigid holder PSA's own shipping guide points you toward, at the size its instructions name. If you submit standard-thickness modern cards, this is the default and the decision is made.
Why it takes this slot: Semi-rigid holders at the stated size — the preparation the shipment assumes is already done.
- Holder size
- 3 5/16" x 4 7/8"
- Card thickness
- Standard cards up to roughly 20pt
- Material
- Acid-free, PVC-free rigid vinyl
- Common pack sizes
- 50, 100 and 200 count
What it does well
- Matches the semi-rigid dimensions PSA's shipping guide specifies
- Consistent fit from pack to pack, which matters when you are loading 200 cards
- Thin enough to band and ship in bulk without a bulky box
Where it falls short
- A snug fit — a thick or already-curved card needs care going in
- Priced above generic semi-rigids precisely because it is the submission standard
#ad We link to the listing rather than printing a price that would be wrong next week. How we are funded
2. The record before it leaves
Epson Perfection V600 Photo Scanner
Epson · High-quality flatbed card scans
A flatbed is the right tool for cards, because nothing touches the card but glass. The V600 is the volume-sweet-spot model for listing photos and submission records.
Why it takes this slot: A flatbed scan of both sides of every card is the only documentation you will have of its pre-submission condition.
- Type
- Flatbed photo scanner
- Use
- Listing images, grading records, archival scans
- Tradeoff
- Slower than a feed scanner, higher image quality
What it does well
- No rollers touch the card, which is the whole argument for flatbeds
- Image quality is good enough for listings and pre-submission records
- Scans slabs as well as raw cards
Where it falls short
- Slow — one platen at a time
- Desk footprint is real
- Overkill if you only ever need a phone snapshot
#ad We link to the listing rather than printing a price that would be wrong next week. How we are funded
3. Ready for the return
BCW Graded Card Storage Box
BCW · Storing slabs you are not displaying
A slotted cardboard box sized for slabs rather than raw cards. Most of a graded collection should live here, not on a wall.
Why it takes this slot: Slabs come back in a shipment that needs a destination. Sort that out before they arrive, not after.
- Capacity
- Roughly 30 graded slabs per the manufacturer
- Fits
- PSA, BGS, SGC, CSG and HGA slabs, plus BCW 4-screw holders
- Material
- Corrugated cardboard with slots
What it does well
- Slots stop slab-on-slab scuffing
- Takes mixed grading companies and screwdowns together
- The cheapest way to store slabs properly
Where it falls short
- Cardboard offers no moisture or impact protection
- Thicker BGS cases eat the stated capacity
#ad We link to the listing rather than printing a price that would be wrong next week. How we are funded
What to expect on the way back
Return shipping is charged by the grader and arrives on your bill with the fees. The returning package contains slabs, which are rigid and heavy relative to raw cards — and which need somewhere to live on arrival. A slab storage box ordered while you wait means the cards are not stacked loose on a desk the day they come back.
If something goes wrong
- Lost in transit: the carrier's tracking and insurance are the route, which is why the tracked service is not optional.
- Damaged on arrival: your pre-ship scans are what establish the card's condition when it left you.
- Order does not match the form: your own copy of the form is the reference. Keep it.
- Grade disputes: graders publish their own review and appeal processes. Your scans are useful here too.
If you have not packed the box yet, go back to how to package cards for PSA first — the preparation is what this page assumes.
Common questions
How should I ship cards to PSA?
How much should I insure a submission for?
Should I scan cards before sending them?
Who pays return shipping?
Back to Grading & Submission.
Sources
About the author
Brijon M. is the hands-on owner behind MadGrey LLC and the person who writes and maintains every page on Slab & Stack. He buys supplies in bulk, submits cards for grading, and keeps this site's recommendations tied to what a working collection actually needs.
Brijon M. · Owner, MadGrey LLC · Read the full bio
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