How to Safely Ship Your Collectibles - BCW Supplies - BlogBCW Supplies

Shipping collectibles safely starts with using the right protective holder and then securing that holder inside the package. Depending on the item, that may mean a sleeve, toploader, semi-rigid holder, bag and board, or another protective case.

For cards and other flat collectibles, toploaders and semi-rigid holders are often placed between pieces of cardboard or wrapped with bubble wrap before being packed into a mailer or box. This adds another layer of protection against bending, impact, and movement during transit.

The goal is to protect the collectible while keeping it secure and avoiding unnecessary bulk or weight. Here are useful BCW options by collectible type.

Comics

Use comic bags and backing boards to protect against dust, debris, bending, and creasing.

For shipping multiple comics, the Comic Book Mailer holds about:

40 loose comics
25 bagged-and-boarded comics

Music

The 12-Inch Record Shipping Box holds up to 7 single LPs.

Record jackets and sleeves add protection against dust and handling.

For standard-size sheet music, use sheet music bags, sleeves, and boards to help protect against debris, bending, and creasing.

Trading Cards

Trading cards are commonly shipped in a sleeve with either a toploader or semi-rigid holder. The protected card can then be placed between cardboard, wrapped with bubble wrap, or secured inside another padded layer.

For individual cards:

Card sleeves provide a basic layer of protection against dust, fingerprints, scratches, and handling
Toploaders add rigid support to help protect cards from bending and impact during transit
Semi-rigid holders provide support with more flexibility than a rigid toploader. They can conform better to cards that are slightly warped or not perfectly flat, reducing the pressure that a completely rigid holder may place on the card. They are also lighter than toploaders, which can help reduce package weight and postage when shipping several cards at once
Standard Card Sleeves – Tab make cards easier to remove from toploaders and semi-rigid holders
Semi-Rigid Card Holder #1 fits standard trading cards
Semi-Rigid Card Holder #2 fits standard trading cards with a snugger fit than Semi-Rigid Card Holder #1
Semi-Rigid Card Holder #3 fits taller cards such as Widevision cards and Tallboys

For groups or bulk shipments:

Team Set Bags help keep multiple cards together
Monster Pads fill empty space inside card boxes to help keep cards from shifting
BCW offers multiple card box sizes for larger shipments

Photos, Tickets, and Documents

Semi-Rigid Card Holder #4 fits 4×6 photos and postcards
Semi-Rigid Card Holder #5 fits commemorative tickets
3×7 – Ticket Topload Holder provides rigid protection for 3×7 tickets
Semi-Rigid Card Holder #1 can also hold small documents such as ID or vaccination cards

Coins and Currency

For coins:

Coin flips protect individual coins
Coin snaps provide rigid protection
Coin tubes are useful when shipping multiple coins of the same size

For currency:

Currency Sleeves – Regular Bill / Large Bill protect against dust and debris
Semi-Rigid Currency Holders – Regular Bill / Large Bill add support with less bulk than rigid toploaders
Currency Toploaders – Regular Bill / Large Bill provide rigid protection during shipping

Quick Shipping Tip

Choose a holder that fits the collectible properly, then add cardboard, bubble wrap, or another padded layer when needed. Fill empty space so the item cannot shift around during transit, and securely seal the package before shipping.