Bad packaging is the #1 reason cards arrive damaged. As someone who has shipped hundreds of Pokemon TCG orders across Australia, here's the exact process I use — and what to avoid.
Shipping Single Cards
What You Need
- Penny sleeve (1 per card)
- Standard toploader (35pt for regular cards, 55pt for thick cards like EX/GX era)
- Team bag or resealable sleeve (keeps the toploader clean)
- Rigid card mailer OR bubble mailer (not a standard envelope)
- AusPost satchel or your own packaging
The Process
- Slide the card into a penny sleeve, making sure it's fully covered
- Slide the penny-sleeved card into the toploader — it should feel snug, not loose
- Seal the toploader opening with a small piece of painter's tape (don't use sticky tape that leaves residue)
- Place the toploader inside a team bag and seal
- Place inside a rigid card mailer or sandwich between two pieces of cardboard inside a bubble mailer
- For high-value cards ($50+): use a rigid card mailer with cardboard reinforcement on both sides
What Not to Do
- Never ship in a plain envelope — Australia Post sorting machines will bend it
- Don't skip the toploader — a penny sleeve alone provides zero rigidity
- Don't use a rubber band around the toploader — it indents cards over time
- Don't overfill bubble mailers — cards inside should not shift when you shake the package
Shipping Multiple Singles (Small Lot)
For 2–10 cards shipped together:
- Sleeve and topload each card individually
- Stack the toploaders together, face to face
- Wrap the stack in bubble wrap (at least 2 layers)
- Secure with tape
- Place in a rigid card mailer or padded box — nothing smaller than the card stack
For 10+ cards: use a card storage box (small cardboard box) inside a padded satchel. Stack cards in order with dividers.
Shipping Sealed Booster Boxes
- Wrap the booster box in bubble wrap — minimum 2 layers, 4 layers for expensive product
- Place in a cardboard shipping box with at least 5cm of padding on all sides
- Fill any gaps with bubble wrap or packing paper — nothing should shift when shaken
- Seal the outer box thoroughly with packing tape
- For product over $150: double-box (inner box wrapped in bubble wrap, inside a larger outer box with padding)
Never ship sealed boxes in just a satchel. The box corners will get crushed and the product will arrive damaged.
Shipping Graded Slabs (PSA, CGC, BGS)
Graded slabs are fragile — the plastic casing can crack and the inner label can shift. Here's how to ship them safely:
- Wrap the slab in at least 4 layers of bubble wrap, covering all edges
- Tape the bubble wrap securely so it can't unwrap in transit
- Place in a rigid box (not a satchel) with at least 3cm of padding on all sides
- Fill gaps with crumpled packing paper or more bubble wrap
- Seal the box and mark it "FRAGILE" on multiple sides
- For slabs over $100: use AusPost's insurance add-on at checkout
AusPost Options for Card Sellers
Letter (up to 250g, under 20mm thick): Cheapest option (~$1.20 standard, ~$3.50 express). Works for 1–2 single cards in a rigid mailer. No tracking on standard letters — use Express for tracking.
Small satchel (up to 500g): ~$9–$12 AUD with tracking. Works for up to ~20 singles or small lots. Requires packaging that fits within satchel dimensions.
Medium satchel (up to 3kg): ~$14–$18 AUD. Suitable for booster packs, small boxes, larger lots.
Parcel post (boxes): Variable by weight and size. Use for booster boxes and anything that requires rigid box packaging.
Insurance: Available at checkout for items over $100. Worth adding for graded cards and sealed product.
Tracking Always
Always use a service with tracking for cards over $30. If a card goes missing and you have no tracking number, you have no case with AusPost and no recourse for the buyer. The cost difference between tracked and untracked is small — the risk difference is significant.
At HOKO Collectables, standard letter post is $3 and untracked. Tracked Parcel is $12.50 and free on orders over $30. Express Post is $19.50. We ship worldwide, tracked. We've shipped hundreds of orders without a single damage claim — this is the system we use. If you buy from us, this is exactly how your card will arrive.