Sizing
Card thickness, points and which holder size fits
What “35pt” actually means, how to tell if a card is too thick for it, and what to do with the ones that are.
Points are thickness
Holder sizes are written in points, where one point is a thousandth of an inch. A 35pt holder is made for cards about 0.035" thick. That covers the vast majority of base cards, inserts and trading-card game cards. Every PJU toploader and magnetic holder is a 35pt holder.
How to check a card
If a card feels like an ordinary card, it is almost always 35pt or under. Thick cards announce themselves: memorabilia and patch cards, many high-end autographs and some special inserts are noticeably stiffer and heavier. The back of a thick card often lists its thickness, and a cheap caliper settles any argument.
- Feels like a normal card: 35pt holder
- Noticeably stiff, has a jersey or patch window: needs a thicker holder
- Not sure: test it gently, never force it
What forcing does
A card that is too thick for its holder bows. A bowed card stays bowed, and the pressure on the corners is the opposite of protection. If a card does not slide into a 35pt shell with its soft sleeve on, it does not belong in one.
Outside size matters too
Our 3" x 4" toploaders fit standard 2.5" x 3.5" cards in a soft sleeve. Semi-rigids are taller at 3 5/16" x 4 7/8". Magnetic holders measure 2.87" x 4.33" outside. If you store in boxes, measure your box rows before you buy a different format.
