General Forum

you are correct on that size.  Also be careful some post master are getting tuff on those packages if they think they are over that size they will charge the person on the receiving end.  It happen to me twice in the last week.  If you can get a chance check with your local post office to see if they will give you a template that you can put the package through to make sure it stays within the 1/4 size. 

Also remember if you are sending more than one PWE you do take chances that one of them can get lost along with way.  So you could still end up paying on the end instead of sending all the cards in one padded envelope in the beginning.  

Yeah I discussed this with a worker at my local post office and he said that unfortunately there are workers who take their job way too seriously. 

I've sent 40-44 cards as PWE using a medium sized envelope in a 4x4 array, and up to 180 in a large business envelope in unfolded pocket sheets without any issues. 

Every single PWE I have seen marked this way are still riddle with machine stamps. I don't think postal workers care at all anymore about photos.

Personally, I don't ever go beyond 18 cards in a single PWE.  And the one thing I never do is fold a 9 pocket sheet.  It damages the tops of the cards.  What I will do is carefully cut that same 9 pocket page into 3 horizontal strips of 3 pockets.  From there I have found you can get up to 5-6 cards in each pocket depending on card thickness.  If you don't want to risk putting that many in a pocket, you can always use two strips taped together with 3 cards in each pocket.  From there I use a small amount of blue tape to seal the top of each pocket preventing the cards from sliding up.  After getting the strips you need, I always use a cardboard sleeve and put the strips in upside down as an added safety measure.  Then tape the cardboard sleeve and usually good to go with a single non machinable stamp. 

The key to keeping costs down is to use THIN cardboard for the sleeves.  Stuff like cereal boxes, frozen pizza boxes, or my personal favorite old comic book backer boards.  If you use stuff like corrugated cardboard, you might as well just use a bubble mailer because the cost will be the same and the bubble mailer is a LOT safer.

I personally use the method where you cut the sheets into 3’s. Also, the tops of the cards shouldn’t get damaged if you put them in penny sleeves and then into the sheets. 

I would recommend using blue painters tape for any taping on the inside of the PWE. I have a roll by my upstairs desk, downstairs trading card area, as well as spares on my workbench (my daughter usually takes a roll to hang pictures up in her room).

I also normally put scotch tape over the outside envelope seal. Doesn't ad much weight and reinforces the adhesive by the envelope manufacturer. 

I would recommend using a small slip of paper over the ends and then using the painters tape over the paper (but skinny enough that there is paper showing over the page opening on either side of the tape). This prevents the tape from sticking to the cards should they shift toward the top in transit. Painters tape usually comes off fine, but not always. This is something I have begun doing.

This is exactly what I do. I have a huge roll of blue painters tape that I’ve been using for years! I also just use normal scotch tape on the outside of the envelope like you said.

when using 9 pocket. Place tape in separate pieces on each pocket . NOT directly across top as one piece. You want the envelope to be able to flex through the machinery. Same when putting card board over them. # pieces of tape where cards are. letting flex.