Quick answer
CardSpicy stocks the penny-sleeve range this guide describes — six thicknesses from 35 PT to 360 PT — and a sleeve is rated for a card thickness, so thicker is not better.
Sleeve thickness is the one number that decides whether a card goes into a sleeve at all, and it is the number most collectors pick by habit rather than by measurement. CardSpicy stocks the penny sleeve range this guide describes, in six thicknesses from 35 PT to 360 PT, so the differences below are the differences between the options actually on the shelf.
The point in one line: a thicker sleeve is not a better sleeve. A sleeve is rated for a card thickness, and the correct one is the one that matches the card you are holding. Too thin and the card will not seat — it buckles the film and the corners dig in. Too thick and the card slides around inside, which is how edges get nicked.
What PT actually measures
PT stands for point, and it is a thickness, not a quality grade. One point is 0.0254 mm, so the numbers are small on purpose: 35 PT is roughly 0.89 mm of rated stock.
Two consequences follow, and both matter more than the exact conversion. First, the PT number printed on a sleeve is a rating for the card it will hold, not a measurement of the film itself. Second, 35 PT is not “the thin one” in any absolute sense — it is the correct rating for a bare standard card, which is what most of the cards in a collection actually are.
The six thicknesses, and what each one is for
| Rated thickness | Inner size | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| 35 PT | 66 × 91 mm | A bare standard card. The default, and the one most collectors need by the pack. |
| 35–55 PT | 67.5 × 94 mm | A standard card with a little clearance, for cards that are slightly thick or already snug in an inner sleeve. |
| 75–100 PT | 69 × 95 mm | A card that is already inside a thin inner sleeve, or thicker stock. |
| 130 PT | 71 × 95 mm | Double-sleeved cards and thicker premium stock. |
| 260 PT | 74 × 96 mm | Very thick cards, and cards stored with a rigid inner layer. |
| 360 PT | 76.5 × 98 mm | The thickest our range goes — oversized stock, or a card that stays inside its own holder. |
Every one of those is 100 sleeves per pack at the same price. The options exist because the cards do, not because one is a premium tier of another.
PT and sleeve size are two different numbers
This is the mistake that produces a sleeve that will not fit: reading the PT rating as though it described the sleeve’s outside size.
PT is the card thickness the sleeve is rated for. The size in millimetres is the inner dimension, and it has to be slightly larger than the card itself, because a sleeve that matches the card exactly cannot be filled. That is why a 35 PT sleeve is 66 × 91 mm for a 63 × 88 mm card — a few millimetres of working room on each side, and not more.
Go up the thickness range and the inner size grows with it, from 66 × 91 mm at 35 PT to 76.5 × 98 mm at 360 PT. A thicker sleeve is a larger sleeve, so buying up “for safety” buys a looser fit and not a safer one.
The material matters more than the thickness
Thickness decides whether a card fits. Material decides whether the card is still the same card in ten years, and it is the part of a sleeve that is impossible to judge by touch.
- Clear polypropylene, acid-free and PVC-free is the film to look for. It stays clear rather than developing a fog, and it does not release anything into the card it is touching.
- PVC is soft, clear and cheap, and it needs plasticisers to stay that way. Over years those plasticisers migrate out of the plastic and into whatever is against it — on a card, the first sign is a dull, slightly greasy surface.
- Ultra clear on both faces matters if the card is going to be looked at or photographed while sleeved, because a hazy film changes how the surface of the card reads.
The full argument for the material over the brand is set out in how to protect your trading cards with card sleeves, which is the companion piece to this one.
Regular or Notched, and when the shape matters
Our sleeves come in two shapes, and the difference is only at the top. Regular is the classic flat sleeve with four square corners. Notched has the two top corners cut away, so that a card inserted at a slight angle has nothing to catch on as it goes in and the corners stay sharp.
The two bottom corners are identical on both, so a notched sleeve still sits square and still seals the same way. If cards are going in and out often — a deck, a binder that gets flipped — the notched shape is the one that survives it. The reasoning is set out in why notched corners protect a card better.
When a sleeve is not the last layer
A polypropylene sleeve protects against handling: fingerprints, dust, the surface scuffs that come from a card being picked up. It does not protect against pressure. A card in a soft sleeve alone will still bend under a stack, and that is the failure a rigid holder is for.
The working order is a soft sleeve as the inner layer, then a rigid holder if the card is going to be stored under load, shipped, or displayed upright. If the card is going into a rigid 3×4 holder, the holder size changes with the card thickness the same way the sleeve does, so the PT rating matters on both layers.
Frequently asked questions
What does PT mean on a card sleeve?
PT stands for point, a thickness measurement where one point is 0.0254 mm. The PT number on a sleeve is the card thickness it is rated to hold, so 35 PT is for a bare standard card and the higher numbers are for thicker cards or cards that already sit inside an inner sleeve.
Is a thicker sleeve better for protecting a card?
No. A sleeve is correct or incorrect for a card, not better or worse. A sleeve that is too thin for the card will not let it seat properly, and one that is too thick leaves the card sliding inside, which is how edges and corners get damaged.
How do I know which PT to buy?
Match the PT rating to the card. A bare standard card takes 35 PT. A card already in a thin inner sleeve, or thicker stock, takes a higher rating. If you are unsure, the PT that matches the card you are protecting is the one to order, because going up “for safety” makes the fit looser rather than safer.
What is the difference between the sleeve’s PT rating and its size in millimetres?
PT describes the card thickness the sleeve is rated for. The millimetre figure is the inner dimension, and it has to be slightly larger than the card so the sleeve can be filled at all. That is why a 35 PT sleeve measures 66 × 91 mm for a 63 × 88 mm card.
Regular or notched sleeve — does the shape matter?
The bottom half is identical; only the two top corners differ. Notched sleeves have the top corners cut away, so a card going in at an angle has nothing to catch on and its corners stay sharp. For cards that are handled or re-sleeved often, the notched shape holds up better.
Sources
Sources and further reading
- CardSpicy product specifications for the 100x penny sleeve range — the PT ratings, millimetre inner dimensions, material and corner shapes quoted in this article. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- CardSpicy product specification for the rigid 3" × 4" card holder range — holder dimensions, PT options and the standard card size they are built for. Retrieved 2026-10-06.
- Standard trading card size of 63 × 88 mm as published by the card games that use it, including Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering and Yu-Gi-Oh!.
- General conservation guidance on PVC plasticisers migrating out of soft plastic and into paper and card surfaces over time, as summarised for collectors of paper-based collectables.
Specifications are quoted from our own product data at the date shown and are subject to change. This page is guidance on choosing a sleeve, not a valuation of any card.
Related reading
- How to protect your trading cards with card sleeves
- Notched card sleeves: why cut corners protect a card better
- Display frames and magnetic holders for graded cards
- CardSpicy 100x penny sleeves, 35 PT to 360 PT
Where to go next
- The CardSpicy card index — every card we track, with its PSA 10 population and market history (195 cards).
- The illustrator index — every artist behind those cards, card by card (110 artists).