If you want to protect your Pokemon cards, you will need to put them into a Pokemon card sleeve. If you want to ensure that your best cards stay in perfect condition, you will need to choose the right sleeve size and the right toploader. So, what are they?
The best toploader size for Pokemon cards will be 3″ x 4″. For Pokemon card sleeves, you need something fractionally less than this. You will need to get 2.5″ x 3.5″. This will allow a sleeved Pokemon card to be inserted into the toploader with ease.
Let’s go into depth on this. We are positive that plenty of people are out there wondering more about Pokemon card sleeve and toploader size. They may even wonder how to get the Pokemon cards into a toploader. Don’t worry. On this page, everything will be explained!
What Size Toploader Do You Need for Pokemon Cards?
Because Pokemon cards are a pretty standard size, they should be compatible with the vast majority of toploaders. You would need to go out of your way to purchase a toploader that isn’t compatible.
You are looking for any toploader that measures 3″ x 4″. You can opt for something slightly larger, but your cards will likely bounce around inside of them, and thus it wouldn’t really be good for protecting your Pokemon cards.
We recommend using Ultra PRO regular toploaders for your Pokemon cards. Click here to check the current price and availability on Amazon.
What Size Card Sleeves Do You Need for Pokemon Cards?
Once again, you probably wouldn’t need to think too much about the size of the card sleeves that you need. This is because Pokemon trading cards are a standard trading card game size. Out of the big games, it is only YuGiOh cards that are different.
If you are looking to pick up sleeves (not toploaders), then you will need to look for sleeves that measure 2.5″ x 3.5″. This means that they will be slightly smaller than the toploader size. This is important because you need to be able to slide the Pokemon card, in a sleeve, into the toploader. If the sizes are too similar, then the card will end up getting squashed.
What Kind of Sleeves Do You Use for Pokemon Cards?
It depends on what you are planning on doing with the card.
If you are looking to put the cards into a toploader, or the cards are fairly cheap, then you can opt for penny sleeves. You don’t need to be using crazy expensive sleeves when you are using a toploader, because the toploader is going to provide the bulk of the protection. You don’t need to be using expensive sleeves for cheap cards, because the cards have absolutely no value.
If you are planning on building a deck, though, then you need to use quality card sleeves. You can’t build a deck using toploaders. You also cannot build a deck using penny sleeves, because they do not provide enough protection for your Pokemon cards. Instead, you will need to pick up standard card sleeves.
They will have a plastic front, and a slightly firmer back to them. This helps to create a good shuffle feel while, at the same time, ensuring that your cards are properly protected.
To check the current price and availability of Ultra Pro Penny Sleeves, click here to view the listing on Amazon.
How Do You Topload a Pokemon Card With a Sleeve?
Putting your card into a toploader isn’t too difficult.
FIrstly, you are going to want to load your Pokemon card into a fresh card sleeve. Don’t use an old one. If a sleeve has been used before, then there is likely to be a small amount of dust inside. This could end up scratching your card.
While we did say that you could use a penny sleeve for putting your Pokemon card into a toploader, we do suggest that you get your hands on the best sleeves that you can afford. While a penny sleeve should be able to provide a decent amount of protection for your Pokemon card, the more you spend on the sleeve, the more protection your card gets.
Sleeve up the Pokemon card as normal. Be gentle as you do it. You don’t want to be creasing the edges of the card. It is going to be quite a tight fit.
Once your card has been placed into the sleeve, you can gently slide it into the toploader. To do this, part the opening of the toploader a little. Don’t stretch it too much. You want just enough space to be able to get your card in there.
Gently slide the card into the toploader. It is important that you do not force the card in. A toploader will provide a lot of protection for your card but, in order to do that, it needs to offer a tight fit.
Make sure that your card gets all the way to the bottom of the toploader. When it is at the bottom, the top of the toploader should shut closed. Your card should now be fully protected!
What Size PT Are Pokemon Cards?
It does seem to be dependent on where the Pokemon card was manufactured. However, Pokemon cards tend to hover around the 35 PT mark for the most part.
How Thick Is a Pokemon Card With a Sleeve?
This will be dependent on the size of sleeve that has been used. If you used a penny sleeve on your Pokemon card, then it would barely add anything to the thickness. If you used a proper card sleeve, then it may take the card to around 50-60PT. If you used a toploader, then the card could easily be 100PT thick (and maybe a bit more than that)
Final Thoughts
Most standard toploaders and sleeves should fit a Pokemon card.
If you are shopping for a toploader for your Pokemon card, then get something that is 3″ x 4″.
If you are looking for sleeves for your Pokemon card, then you will need to get a sleeve that is 2.5″ x 3.5″. This will allow the sleeve to fit inside the toploader.