Is there a real reason why everyone is using card savers for submissions? With how hard card savers are to come by these days and also how expensive they’ve become. I see no reason to not just use top loaders.
PSA doesn’t want toploaders. Given the card saver shortage would they still reject top loaded cards? Not sure but possibly.
The card moves during shipping in a top loader, it doesn’t in a card saver. That’s mainly why it’s the preferred protection when submitting for grading. Top loaders aren’t the worst thing though, they’ll definitely do the job if that’s all you have handy.
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There are a couple reasons card savers are preferred. Card savers hold the card more securely. Without tape, there’s a chance that a card in a top loader can be either partially or fully ejected during shipping. Secondly, cards in card savers are easier to remove, especially if the submitter has included the pull tab adhesive on the back of the card. [Note to new submitters, definitely put the pull tab on the back of the penny sleeve when you submit. You can get about 1000 of them on Amazon for $10. They will make whoever is processing/grading your order much happier.]. Third, and this is debatable, cards are easier to put in card savers than they are in toploaders. I’ve definitely seen some pros that can wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am a card into a toploader without effort, and I’ve also seen people who put a ton of pressure on the top of a card to force it into a card saver, but imo when doing the card saver hold-open trick, it’s much easier to put a card in a penny sleeve + pull tab into a card saver than a top loader.
Regarding price - card savers weren’t always as expensive as they are now. Definitely use whatever you feel comfortable with and have available for your budget when submitting cards. PSA will not reject a submission if the cards are submitted in top loaders.
Ya I never heard that they reject top loaders. Where’d you get that from.
I can see how card"s top loaders can move in top loaders but it’s probably not going to have any meaningful impact. Just bubble wrap the stack your afraid the card might come out. I will say that caver savers are a lot lighter so if you shipping a lot of them, maybe they are easier to handle.
Personally, I find top loaders a lot easier to put the cards in and take out (without the tabs). But that might be just that I haven’t used card savers as much and been using top loaders since I was a kid.
Years ago they wouldn’t accept top loaded cards. Then they changed policy that as long as top loader were in team bags it was okay. Then around 2008 or so they allowed toploaders just so there was no tape. Now they say:
“ Image result for does psa card grading accept top loaders
Though PSA still advises against submitting cards in hard acrylic cases or screw down holders, top loaders are permitted provided the cards are also inside penny sleeves. “The top loaders are only ‘not recommended’ for use, due to the amount of movement they allow,” said PSA Customer Service Manager Stephanie Marine.
Question…are card savers more expensive than top loaders today still.
I thought card savers can bend more easily. More likely to get damage that way ? it don’t make me make me feel safe putting it in a bubble envelope. When I sell cards in top loader I put paper folded around at the top and tape that a little to the sides of the top loader.
with card savers I feel like I need to post it in a parcel box, you cant bend a parcel box or has any1 posted one with an small bubble envelope with no problems ?
Definitely don’t just throw a card saver in a bubble mailer and call it a day. As you noted, card savers lack the rigidity to prevent them from being bent during shipment. That’s why it’s suggested to sandwich the card saver between two pieces of cardboard that are held together by a rubber band (or tape).
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Looks like they are back in stock on Amazon. $60 for a box of 200. Last box I bought back in Nov 2019 was only $20. When will prices get back to normal?
My distributor mentioned there being some kind of issue with Ultra Pro getting their product from china. Does anyone know what he’s talking about. Is that what’s driving these rates?
Some distributors I’ve talked to concerning shortages with other similar items say the supply chain is broken due to COVID. Companies going out of business or not able to get all their materials.
Also supply can’t keep up with demand in most cases.
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And they’re gone!
Walmart is another vendor who has them for $60 for 200. It’s a 3rd party selling through Walmart. Set an “in stock” alert and you can snag some. Normally they are in stock for an hour or two at most though each time.
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I’m like, 2-3 weeks out max from having enough for the community. They’re made in the USA, so no international fulfillment chain BS to deal with. They’re more expensive than I would have liked, but better than the market today. And more importantly, they’re going to ship very quickly. I’ll share more info as soon as I can.
I know the community really needs help sourcing these better. Just hang in a little longer.
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$30/200? Give us a range at least, even if you cant hit the original $20/200.
Wish I could! I don’t know the freight cost yet and it’ll be shipped with UPS zone shipping at cost from my fulfillment. There won’t be a big price difference in shipping between ordering 50 and order 2000. So smaller orders may be less competitive. But I’ll do my best to get the cost as low as I can.
It’ll be lower than $60/200, but I don’t want to commit to half that price shipped when that’s such a variable number.
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Anyone have a good conspiracy theory on what PSA does with all their top loaders after grading?
Pretty sure you can ask PSA to send them back.
I’m pretty sure they resell them
Mine they just throw away lol
