What does 35pt mean on a toploader?

It is the thickest card the holder is sized for, in points. BCW says one point equals .001 inches or .0254 millimeters, so a 35pt toploader is built for cards up to 0.035 inches thick. Ultra PRO rates its regular 3" x 4" toploader for standard 2-1/2" x 3-1/2" cards up to 35 points.

What size toploader do I need for Pokemon cards?

A standard toploader. BCW's sizing guide says most TCG cards and modern base sports cards fall at 20pt to 35pt and fit standard toploaders, and Ultra PRO's regular toploader holds standard size cards up to 35 points. Thick toploaders are for relics, patches, medallions and booklets.

How tall is a standard toploader?

BCW lists its 3x4 Standard toploader at 3" x 4 1/16" outside and 2 3/4" x 3 7/8" inside, and Ultra PRO's regular toploader has outer dimensions of 3" x 4". Both are built for standard-size cards. Thick toploaders keep the 3" x 4" footprint and add depth.

Are one-touch sizes the same as toploader sizes?

No. Ultra PRO's ONE-TOUCH listings include 23PT, 35PT, 55PT, 75PT, 100PT, 130PT, 180PT, 200PT, 260PT and 360PT, and BCW's magnetic holders are listed at 35, 55, 75, 100, 130, 180 and 360 points, while BCW's thick toploaders step 59, 79, 108, 138, 168, 197, 240 and 360 points. Pick the size from the list for the holder style you are buying.

Do I need a penny sleeve inside a toploader?

Whatnot's packaging guidelines say penny sleeves are recommended for all cards and that high-value cards must be placed in a penny sleeve and a properly sized top loader sealed with painter's tape. Ultra PRO lists its penny sleeves as compatible products for its regular toploader and thick card sleeves for its 55PT toploader.

Toploader Sizes Explained: Which pt Thickness Fits Your Cards, From Base Cards to Booklets

October 25, 2026 ChronicCards

Last updated: October 25, 2026

Key Takeaways

Toploader sizes are card thicknesses in points (pt). BCW says one point equals .001 inches or .0254 millimeters, so a 35pt holder is sized for a card up to 35 thousandths of an inch thick.
BCW says most TCG cards and modern base sports cards fall at 20pt to 35pt and fit standard toploaders. Ultra PRO's regular 3" x 4" toploader holds standard 2-1/2" x 3-1/2" cards up to 35 points.
BCW's thick toploaders run from 59pt to 360pt. Its coin method puts a dime at 59pt, a quarter at 79pt, two quarters at 138pt and five quarters at 360pt.
Magnetic one-touch holders use different size steps than toploaders. Ultra PRO lists ONE-TOUCH holders from 23PT to 360PT, and BCW's magnetic holders run 35, 55, 75, 100, 130, 180 and 360 points.
Whatnot requires high-value cards to ship in a penny sleeve and a properly sized top loader sealed with painter's tape, and says that if a magnetic case is used for a thick raw card it must be properly sized.

What does pt mean on a toploader?
How to measure card thickness
Toploader size chart
What size toploader for Pokemon and base cards?
One-touch sizes vs toploader sizes
Sleeve first, and Whatnot's shipping rules
Label the holder before it ships
Sources

Toploader sizes are card thicknesses measured in points, where one point is a thousandth of an inch. A standard toploader covers base cards and most TCG cards, which BCW puts at 20pt to 35pt, while relics, patches, medallions and booklets need thick toploaders that BCW makes from 59pt up to 360pt. Everything below comes from Ultra PRO, BCW and Whatnot pages as they read on October 25, 2026.

What Does pt Mean on a Toploader?

The pt on a toploader is the thickest card it is sized to hold, in points. BCW says card thickness is often measured in points and that one point is equivalent to .001 inches or .0254 millimeters. So a 35pt toploader is sized for a card up to 0.035 inches thick, by our arithmetic.

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The number describes the card, not the plastic. Ultra PRO's 3" x 4" Clear Regular Toploader is "designed to safely store standard size cards (2-1/2" x 3-1/2") up to 35 points in thickness," and its Action Packed toploader is for "standard-sized cards up to 55pt thickness." BCW's thick card toploaders are listed the same way, for example "Holds cards up to 138pt thick." The 3" x 4" footprint stays the same at every rating; the depth is what changes.

How to Measure Card Thickness

BCW offers two ways to size a card. The first is its Card Thickness Point Gauge, printed on BCW toploader and magnetic holder packages and available as a printable PDF; BCW says to print it at 100% scale, not "fit to page." The second is coins. BCW's January 2026 guide says to stack coins until the height matches the card's thickness, then compare the stack to its reference list: one dime is 59pt, one quarter is 79pt, a quarter plus a dime is 108pt, two quarters are 138pt, two quarters plus a dime are 168pt, three quarters are 197pt, four quarters are 240pt and five quarters are 360pt. BCW notes that 20pt and 35pt standard cards do not need it.

BCW says that without the correct holder, corners can be damaged if the holder is too tight, cards may warp when compressed, and edges can rub or shift inside an oversized holder.

Toploader Size Chart

The chart lists BCW's toploader sizes with its coin reference and the card types it names for each. Ultra PRO's 3" x 4" toploader listings, as they read on October 25, 2026, include Regular (35pt), Action Packed 55PT, Rookie Gold Thick 75PT and Super Thick 120PT, 130PT, 180PT, 200PT, 260PT and 360PT.

BCW toploader	BCW coin reference	What BCW says fits
Standard (20pt to 35pt cards)	No coin needed	Most TCG cards and modern base sports cards
59pt	1 dime	Slightly thicker than base cards; light relics or thin autos
79pt	1 quarter	Many mid-thickness memorabilia cards
108pt	1 quarter + 1 dime	Thicker game-used or dual memorabilia pieces
138pt	2 quarters	Patch cards and multi-layer relic constructions
168pt	2 quarters + 1 dime	Heavier manufactured relics and medallions
197pt	3 quarters	Extra-thick memorabilia and autograph cards
240pt	4 quarters	Large embedded items like helmet pieces or booklet-style inserts
360pt	5 quarters	Booklet cards; the thickest toploader BCW makes

BCW's examples include 2024 Topps Holiday Relics at 59pt, a 2020 Flawless Jumbo Relic at 138pt and a 2022 Topps Update Batting Helmet card at 240pt.

What Size Toploader for Pokemon and Base Cards?

A standard toploader. BCW's guide says most TCG cards and modern base sports cards fall at 20pt and 35pt and fit perfectly in standard toploaders; its 35pt examples include a 2024 Prestige Deion Sanders card and two autographs. Ultra PRO rates its regular 3" x 4" toploader for standard 2-1/2" x 3-1/2" cards up to 35 points, and its 35PT UV ONE-TOUCH holder the same way.

Standard toploader ratings vary by maker and product. BCW's 3x4 Standard product page says "Fits cards up to 35pt thickness" and its Premium page says up to 35 pt thick, its sleeve and toploader combo packs say the toploaders hold a standard card "up to 20 pts," and our BCW Topload Card Holder listing says up to 20pt. A 2020 BCW reply in its blog comments about 20 versus 35 point magnetic holders said the two are about the same, a difference of 15 thousandths of an inch. Our rule of thumb: if a sleeved base card slides in and sits flat, it fits.

One-Touch Sizes vs Toploader Sizes

A one-touch magnetic holder is also sold by card thickness, but the size steps differ from toploaders. Ultra PRO's individual ONE-TOUCH listings on October 25, 2026 included 23PT, 35PT, 55PT, 75PT, 100PT, 130PT, 180PT, 200PT, 260PT and 360PT, and its 35PT UV model says it holds standard 2-1/2" x 3-1/2" cards up to 35pt in thickness. BCW's magnetic holders are listed at 35, 55, 75, 100, 130, 180 and 360 points. So a 130pt magnetic holder and a 138pt toploader are different products on different steps; check the list for the holder style you are buying.

For thick raw cards in a magnetic case, Whatnot's packaging guidelines tell sellers to make sure the mag is properly sized and to place a penny sleeve over the front of the card before sealing it.

Sleeve First, and Whatnot's Shipping Rules

Sleeve the card before it goes in any rigid holder. Ultra PRO lists its 2.5" x 3.5" penny sleeves and premium sleeves as compatible products for its regular toploader, and thick card sleeves for the 55PT Action Packed toploader; BCW also sells thick card sleeves. Our penny sleeve page covers the sleeve-then-holder order.

If you sell on Whatnot, sizing is written into the packaging rules. Whatnot's packaging guidelines, dated September 21, 2026, say penny sleeves are recommended for all cards, high-value cards must be placed in a penny sleeve and properly sized top loader, top loaders must be sealed with painter's tape (not scotch tape), protected cards go inside a bubble mailer or padded packaging, and all raw cards must be placed in a team bag to prevent movement. For thick raw cards, Whatnot says to trim the corner of thick penny sleeves before insertion to avoid corner damage. Whatnot adds that failure to package items safely may result in increased seller fees or loss of selling privileges. Our Whatnot shipping guide covers labels and rates.

Label the Holder Before It Ships

With the hit sleeved and in the right holder, the top edge is where the logo goes. Our Custom One Touch Stickers are printed with your logo and go over the top edge of a one-touch magnetic card holder; each order is 80 stickers on White, Transparent or Holographic paper (Holographic costs extra), $29.99 as of October 25, 2026. Our Premium One-Touch and Toploader Stickers are plain color stickers for one-touch holders and toploaders, 50 per pack in Variety, Holographic, White, Black, Ocean Blue, Green, Pink, Red, Yellow, Orange and Navy, $10.99 per pack ($14.99 for Holographic) as of the same date. BCW 3" x 4" toploaders (25 per pack) and BCW penny sleeves (100 per pack) are in our card sleeves and toploaders collection.