Collecting
How to store and protect Pokémon cards
Put any card worth keeping into a soft sleeve the moment it leaves the pack. Add a rigid holder for the valuable ones. Keep everything cool, dry and out of sunlight.
Pick one
What are you storing?
Bulk commons
A cardboard storage box.
- Stand the cards upright in rows.
- Do not pack them tight. Tight rows bend cards.
- Cards worth cents do not need sleeves.
Cards worth a few dollars
Soft sleeves in a binder.
- One card to a pocket.
- Side loading pockets stop cards sliding out.
- Store the binder upright, like a book.
Cards worth $25 or more
A soft sleeve inside a toploader.
- Slide the sleeved card in top first.
- Close the top with a team bag, not with tape on the holder.
- Keep toploaders in a box, standing up.
Graded slabs
A slab box or a padded case.
- Slabs scratch each other. Use slab sleeves.
- Keep them out of sunlight. Labels and cards fade.
Sealed boxes
A cool, dark shelf.
- Do not stack heavy boxes on booster boxes.
- Leave the wrap alone. A torn wrap lowers the price.
- Acrylic cases protect the boxes worth most.
- A soft sleeve stops scratches. A rigid toploader stops bends. Good cards get both.
- A Pokémon card is 63 by 88 millimeters. Standard size sleeves fit it.
- Use binders with side loading pockets and fixed pages.
- Heat, damp and sunlight do more harm than handling.
- Rubber bands, tape and loose piles are what ruin cards.
The gear and what each is for
| Item | What it does | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Soft sleeve | Stops scratches and fingerprints. | Every card you want to keep. |
| Toploader | A rigid plastic holder that stops bends. | Cards with real value, and anything going in the mail. |
| Semi rigid holder | A thin, flexible holder. | Cards being sent for grading. Graders ask for these. |
| Binder | Holds a set in order for viewing. | Sets and cards of middling value, each in a sleeve. |
| Storage box | Holds hundreds of cards upright. | Bulk, and sleeved cards waiting to be sorted. |
| Team bag | A bag that seals over a toploader. | Keeping dust out and the card in. |
Sizes that fit
- A Pokémon card is 63 by 88 millimeters, the same as most trading cards.
- Standard sleeves are about 66 by 91 millimeters.
- Japanese Pokémon cards are the same size as English ones.
- Buy sleeves marked standard size. Small size sleeves are for other card games.
Choosing a binder
- Side loading pockets. Cards cannot fall out when the binder tips.
- A zip. It keeps dust and damp out.
- Fixed pages. Ring binders dent the cards nearest the rings.
- Pages free of PVC. Old soft plastic pages stick to cards over the years.
What ruins cards
- Sunlight. It fades the colors within months on a shelf or a windowsill.
- Damp. Cards warp and curl, and holo cards curl first.
- Heat. Attics and cars bend cards and soften sleeves.
- Rubber bands and tape. Both leave marks that never come out.
- Loose piles. Cards scratch each other every time the pile moves.
Know what you have
Storage protects the cards. A record protects their value.
- List each valuable card with its condition.
- Photograph the best ones, front and back.
- Our free binder values a collection as prices move.
Our free binderSee what your collection is worthAdd cards by scanning them. The binder values each one, raw or graded by six companies, as prices move.Open My Binders →Live from our price tracker
In stock today below its usual price
Sealed products on sale right now, ranked by how far each sits under its usual price. Tap one for its price history.
Lumiose City Mini Tin
Lumiose City Mini · Tin
$9.99 41% under$17.00 across 3 international shops
Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex League Battle Deck
Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex League Battle Deck · Sealed Product
$14.99 40% under$24.95 across 1 international shop
Destined Rivals Booster Pack
Destined Rivals · Booster Pack
$8.99 31% under$12.98 across 3 international shops
Mega Lucario ex League Battle Deck
Mega Lucario ex League Battle Deck · Sealed Product
$14.49 31% under$20.99 across 2 international shops
Every tracked product and its price →Common questions
What size sleeves do Pokémon cards need?
Standard size, about 66 by 91 millimeters. A Pokémon card is 63 by 88 millimeters. Japanese cards are the same size.
Should I put Pokémon cards in a binder or toploaders?
Both have a place. A binder suits sets and cards of middling value. A toploader suits single cards worth real money and any card you mail.
Do Pokémon cards get damaged in ring binders?
They can. The cards nearest the rings get dented when the binder closes on them. A binder with fixed pages and side loading pockets avoids it.
How do I stop Pokémon cards from curling?
Keep them in a dry room at an even temperature. Holo cards curl in damp air. Sleeves and a closed box slow it down.
How should I store sealed Pokémon boxes?
On a cool, dark shelf with nothing heavy on top. Keep the factory wrap whole. Acrylic cases suit boxes worth a lot.
More guides
Card valuesPokémon card condition guide: Near Mint to DamagedWhat each condition means, with a checklist that names your card's condition.A checklist names the condition
Card valuesWhat is my Pokémon card worth?Find the exact card, judge its condition, and see what it sells for raw and graded.Raw and graded, priced today
CollectingPokémon card terms explainedPlain meanings for the words collectors use, from ETB to pop report.42 terms explained
Buying and pricesPokémon card gifts: what to buy at every budgetWhat to buy as a present at each budget, with what is in stock today.229 products in stock today
Use our tools
Track your collectionA free binder that values your cards and sealed products as prices move.Open →
Scan a cardPoint your phone at a card. It tells you which card it is and what it is worth.Open →Card pricesLook up any card: raw price, graded prices and how many exist in each grade.Open →Master set bindersA binder with a numbered slot for every card in a set. Fill it as you collect.Open →
Pack GameOpen packs of a set for free and see what the cards are worth today.Open →Get the daily deals in your inbox
The best international Pokémon deals, free, every morning. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.