Updated: October 2026 | Reading time: 5 min
Semi-rigid card holders (card savers) are flexible clear holders for a standard 2.5" × 3.5" card. The size used for a grading mail-in is 84 × 124 mm. They sit between a penny sleeve and a rigid 35pt toploader. Used for Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, Lorcana, One Piece, and sports cards.
PSA and CGC require each raw card to go in a clear penny sleeve inside a semi-rigid holder, not a toploader. Beckett (BGS) and SGC recommend semi-rigid holders too. No grader requires a brand. Check each company’s current packing page before you ship.
This guide covers the size, why a card saver is used instead of a toploader, how to load one, and how to pack a submission. Shop the holder here: 84 × 124 mm semi-rigid card holders (50-count and 200-count), or browse all card savers.
Short version
Clear penny sleeve first, then a 3 5/16" × 4 7/8" (84 × 124 mm) semi-rigid holder. PSA says not to use toploaders, tape, pull tabs or sticky notes. A 35pt toploader is for storage and travel. A magnetic one-touch is for display, not a submission.
1. What a semi-rigid holder is
A semi-rigid holder is a clear PVC shell. It is stiffer than a penny sleeve and thinner than a toploader. Our PVC is plasticizer-free, stearate-free and acid-free. Keep cards out of heat and direct sun.
- Holder size: 84 × 124 mm (3 5/16" × 4 7/8"), the size PSA lists for standard trading cards. It is the only size TCG Protectors sells.
- Fits: a standard 2.5" × 3.5" card (~63 × 88 mm) in a penny sleeve.
- Not for: a graded slab, or as the hard case you use at a show.
2. Why a mail-in uses a card saver
Graders pull the card out of the holder. A thin saver is easier to open than a 35pt toploader, and the card shifts less than it does in a hard case. PSA and CGC require a semi-rigid holder for raw cards, and PSA says not to use toploaders. Beckett and SGC recommend semi-rigids. None of them requires a brand.
A stack of savers is also thinner to ship than the same cards in toploaders. Sandwich the stack between cardboard so the holders do not bend.
3. How to load one
1. Penny sleeve first
Do not put a raw card in the holder. Use a standard penny sleeve first so the card does not scuff the PVC.
2. Open the lip
Spread the opening of the 84 × 124 mm holder. Do not crease the corners.
3. Slide, don’t force
Guide the sleeved card in until it sits at the bottom. If it bows, the card is not seated. Pull it and retry.
TCG Protectors semi-rigid card holders
84 × 124 mm (3 5/16" × 4 7/8"), packs of 50 or 200. Plasticizer-free, stearate-free, acid-free PVC. Sleeve the card first. Not a 35pt toploader.
4. How to pack the shipment
- Stack the loaded holders in the order of your submission form, Item #1 on top.
- Put the stack between two cardboard dividers and secure it with 2–3 rubber bands, tight enough to stop shifting but loose enough not to bend the cards. Do not tape the holders or the stack.
- Wrap the stack, place it in a new box with your printed submission form, and fill empty space so it cannot slide.
- Seal the box seams with packing tape. PSA says not to use painter’s tape, scotch tape or reused tape.
5. Do PSA, CGC, BGS and SGC require card savers?
PSA: yes. Its Shipping Guide says to put each card in a clear penny sleeve, then a semi-rigid holder, and not to use toploaders, tape, pull tabs or sticky notes. For standard trading cards the holder must be 3 5/16" × 4 7/8". Our 84 × 124 mm holders meet that size.
CGC: yes. Its packing instructions ask for a protective sleeve, then a semi-rigid holder sturdy enough for CGC to remove the card safely, with the stack held between cardboard by rubber bands.
Beckett (BGS) and SGC: both recommend semi-rigid holders. Beckett’s submission rules name an oversized 3.25" × 5" holder such as a Card Saver I, so check each company’s current page before you send.
6. Penny sleeve, card saver, toploader, magnetic
| Type | Rigidity | Use | Mail-in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penny sleeve | Soft | First layer on the raw card | Not alone |
| Semi-rigid holder, 84 × 124 mm | Medium | Grading mail-in and thin shipping | Required by PSA and CGC |
| 35pt toploader | Hard | Storage, shows, shipping between collectors | Not for PSA |
| Magnetic one-touch | Hard case | Desk display | No |
Storage case, not a submit holder: 35pt 3×4 toploaders. Toploader comparison: toploader guide.
7. Frequently asked questions
Do I need a penny sleeve inside the holder?
Yes. Sleeve first, then the 84 × 124 mm holder.
What size does a PSA mail-in use?
A clear penny sleeve inside a 3 5/16" × 4 7/8" (84 × 124 mm) semi-rigid holder. PSA says not to use toploaders. Check PSA’s Shipping Guide before you ship.
Does the brand matter?
No. PSA lists a size, not a brand. This holder is 84 × 124 mm, in packs of 50 or 200.
Does the grader take the card out?
Yes. They remove the card to grade it. A thin holder is easier to open than a toploader.
Card saver or toploader for PSA?
Card saver. PSA requires a semi-rigid holder and says not to use toploaders. Use a toploader for storage and travel.
Can I store cards in these?
Yes for prep and short-term storage. For a show or a bin, use a toploader. Not for a graded slab.
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