How Many Pokémon Cards Should You Submit at Once?

The number of cards you submit in one go affects your per-card cost, your turnaround time, and even the care with which your submission is handled. Here's how to find the sweet spot.

The Economics of Bulk

Most grading companies offer tiered pricing. Single cards or small batches (1 to 5 cards) are charged at the standard per-card rate. Larger batches (10+, 20+, sometimes 50+) get progressively cheaper per card. The discount can be substantial, sometimes 30 to 50 percent off the standard rate.

Shipping costs also favour bulk submissions. Whether you send 5 cards or 25 cards, the postage is roughly the same (£7 to £10 via Special Delivery). Spread across 25 cards instead of 5, that's 30p per card instead of £1.50 per card.

But More Cards Means Longer Waits

Larger submissions typically take longer to process. A 5-card submission on standard service might come back in 10 days. A 50-card submission on the same service might take 20 to 25 days because there's simply more work involved.

If turnaround time matters to you, smaller batches are better. If cost is the priority, bigger batches win.

The Sweet Spot

For most hobbyist collectors, 10 to 20 cards is the sweet spot. You get bulk pricing discounts, shipping costs are well-distributed, the package isn't so large that it requires special handling, and turnaround time is reasonable.

If you've got more than 20 cards to submit, consider splitting them into two batches. Send the high-priority or time-sensitive cards first on a faster service, and the rest on economy.

Quality Over Quantity

Don't pad a submission with marginal cards just to hit a bulk pricing tier. If you've got 8 great cards and 2 that are borderline, it's usually better to submit the 8 at the standard rate than to add 2 duds just to reach the 10-card bulk discount. The savings per card are wiped out if the extra cards come back with grades that don't justify the fee.

First-Timer Advice

If you've never submitted cards before, start with 3 to 5 cards. Learn the process, understand how grades come back, and calibrate your condition assessment skills. Once you've done a few small batches and have a feel for what scores well, scale up to larger submissions.