How to Post a Graded Card Safely in the UK
A slab protects the card inside it. It does very little to protect itself. Drop a loose slab in a padded envelope and the most likely damage is not to the card but to the case: a chipped corner, a scuffed window, or a crack across the label. Any of those makes a graded card harder to sell, and a cracked case can mean resubmitting it. Posting one safely comes down to two decisions: which service you pay for, and how you pack it.
All Royal Mail prices and cover levels below were checked on Royal Mail’s own pages on 21 September 2026. Royal Mail has announced price increases from 5 October 2026 for Special Delivery Guaranteed, Tracked, Signed For and 1st and 2nd Class parcels, so check the current figure before you buy postage.
Which Royal Mail service should I use to post a graded card?
Tracking is not the part that matters most. The compensation limit is, because that is what you get back if the parcel goes missing or arrives in pieces. Here are the four services most people use for a slab sent as a small parcel (up to 2kg), cheapest cover first.
| Service | Online price | Post Office price | Compensation up to | Tracking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Class Signed For, small parcel | £6.75 | £7.05 | £20 | Delivery confirmation only |
| Tracked 48, small parcel | £3.65 (£5.25 with signature) | £4.45 (£6.05 with signature) | £75 | Yes, 2–3 working days |
| Tracked 24, small parcel | £4.65 (£6.25 with signature) | £5.70 (£7.30 with signature) | £75 | Yes, next working day aim |
| Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm, up to 500g | £10.45 | £10.95 | £750 (higher cover available, up to £2,500) | Yes, with photo and signature |
Two things stand out. First, 1st Class Signed For costs more than Tracked 48 with a signature and covers less: £20 against £75. For a slab it is rarely the right choice. Second, Special Delivery is priced by weight: £9.45 online up to 100g, £10.45 up to 500g and £11.45 up to 1kg. Weigh the finished parcel with all its packing, not the bare slab.
There is also a catch in the small print. On both Signed For and Tracked 48, Royal Mail says compensation for “valuables, such as money and jewellery” is not available, and points you to Special Delivery Guaranteed for valuable items. Tracked 48 cover is also “up to £75 or the value of the item, whichever is lower”, so you can never claim more than the card was actually worth.
How much cover does my graded card need?
Match the service to what the card would cost you to replace, not what you paid for it years ago. A simple way to decide:
| Card worth | Sensible service | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Under £75 | Tracked 48 or Tracked 24, ideally with signature | The £75 cover is enough, and you get tracking for a few pounds |
| £75 to £750 | Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm, standard cover | Tracked cover tops out at £75; Special Delivery’s standard cover is £750 |
| £750 to £2,500 | Special Delivery with the higher compensation level | Royal Mail sells cover up to £2,500 on this service |
| Over £2,500 | Think twice about posting at all | Royal Mail’s own compensation stops at £2,500; it offers separate consequential loss cover up to £10,000, and some collectors hand-deliver instead |
Whatever you choose, keep evidence of what the card is worth: the receipt, or a screenshot of recent sold listings for the same card in the same grade. Compensation is capped at the item’s value, and you will need to show what that value was.
Can I post a graded card as a large letter?
Only if the finished packet fits Royal Mail’s large letter limits, and for a properly padded slab that is a tight squeeze. Royal Mail’s size guide sets these limits:
| Format | Max length | Max width | Max thickness | Max weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large letter | 35.3cm | 25cm | 2.5cm | 750g |
| Small parcel | 45cm | 35cm | 16cm | 2kg |
Measure the packed item, not the bare slab. If you have to strip out padding to get it under 2.5cm, send it as a small parcel. The difference in postage is small; the difference in how the slab arrives is not.
How do I pack a slab so it doesn’t crack?
Royal Mail’s own packing advice is to use a sturdy box, leave minimal space so the item can’t shift, cushion all sides with bubble wrap, and seal every seam with strong, wide tape. For a slab, that translates into these steps:
- Protect the corners first. Corners are where slabs chip. For PSA slabs, a soft TPU bumper like our SlabShield Glitter Bumper Guards – PSA Slabs wraps the edges and corners before anything else touches them. Our guide on how to fit our slab bumper guards takes a couple of minutes.
- Bag it. A resealable bag keeps dust and any moisture off the window and label.
- Wrap every side in bubble wrap. Two or three layers, taped so it can’t unroll. Front and back matter as much as the edges.
- Use a small, rigid box. Not a padded envelope. Pick a box only a little larger than the wrapped slab and fill any gap so nothing moves.
- Shake test. Close the box and shake it. If you can feel anything move, add more padding.
- Tape every seam. Royal Mail suggests double-taping for security.
- Keep the outside plain. Write the address clearly with the postcode and put a return address on the back. Nothing on the outside needs to say what’s inside.
If you’re posting a slab you’ve just bought for display, it’s worth sending it straight into the case it will live in. Our Acrylic PSA Slab Case fits PSA slabs only; BGS, CGC, TAG and ACE holders are different sizes and won’t seat in it correctly.
How do I post a raw card safely?
Raw cards need a rigid layer, because a card that bends in the post is worth less, and if you’re sending it for grading, a crease will cost you the grade — and PSA grading costs a UK collector around £62 a card once postage, the return fee and import VAT are counted, so it is an expensive mistake to make in a jiffy bag. Slide the card into a Clear Penny Sleeve first, then into something rigid. Our SlabShield 35pt Magnetic Card Case takes a single card up to 35pt and closes magnetically, so it can’t slide out in transit. After that, the same rules apply: pad it, box it, and pick a service whose cover matches the card’s value.
What should I do before the parcel leaves the house?
Make a record of exactly what you’re sending, so you’re not arguing from memory if something goes wrong:
- Photograph the slab front and back in good light, with the label and cert number readable, and a close-up of each corner.
- Photograph the packing at each stage, and the sealed box with the label on.
- Keep your proof of postage and the tracking number until the buyer confirms it arrived in one piece.
- Log it in your collection. SlabShield Vault is free, and every account includes 10 slab scans: photograph a slab you own and it reads the grader and grade off the label for you. That gives you a dated record of the card, the grade and its condition before it went in the box.
What if my graded card arrives damaged?
If you’re the one receiving it, photograph the box before you open it, then photograph each layer as you unpack. If you’re the sender, ask the buyer to do the same. Keep all the packaging until any claim is settled. The claim is only as strong as your evidence of what was sent, how it was packed and what it was worth, which is why the photos and value evidence above matter.
Posting a graded card: quick answers
What is the safest way to post a graded card in the UK?
Pack the slab with its corners protected, wrap every side in bubble wrap and put it in a small rigid box so it can’t move. For anything worth more than £75, send it Special Delivery Guaranteed, which has £750 standard cover and options up to £2,500.
Is Tracked 48 enough for a graded card?
Only for a card worth £75 or less. Tracked 48 covers loss or damage up to £75 or the item’s value, whichever is lower, and Royal Mail excludes valuables from compensation on this service.
Can a slab go as a large letter?
Only if the packed item is within 35.3 × 25 × 2.5cm and 750g. If you have to remove padding to hit 2.5cm, send it as a small parcel instead.
Is Signed For good for posting cards?
Rarely. 1st Class Signed For for a small parcel costs more than Tracked 48 with a signature, covers only £20, and gives delivery confirmation rather than full tracking.
New here? Start with Welcome to SlabShield for who we are and what we make.
Related: Taking graded cards to a card show — packing, bags and handling, for when you are carrying slabs rather than posting them. Sending cards abroad instead? How much PSA grading costs from the UK covers the international leg, PSA’s return fee and the VAT bill on the way back.