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While “catching them all” is the goal for any Pokémon trainer, you don’t necessarily have to sleeve them all. Knowing which cards to sleeve is essential for preserving their value and condition.
Functions of Card Sleeves
Card sleeves do more than keep cards dust-free. Without sleeves, cards are exposed to edge wear, scratches, fingerprints, and humidity. Sleeves also make shuffling smoother and help keep cards in mint condition for storage or resale. Reselling your cards is just one use out of your collection. There are many uses for Pokémon cards, including storing them in a binder, using them for playing Pokémon TCG (Trading Card Game), and grading them professionally on a scale of 1-10 to evaluate their market value.
Types of Cards
Not all cards are going to have the same value. Along with many different uses for cards, there are many different types of Pokémon cards you can collect. There are energy cards, trainer cards, and (of course) your Pokémon cards. These make up the basics of a regular deck. Pokémon cards can have special types, such as GX or EX, legendary and mythical, or shiny Pokémon. Furthermore, there are rare and special cards, which are the prized possessions of any collector, including holographic and ultra-rare cards that often feature bold, unique designs.
Full-art holographic cards
Needless to say, the cards that should definitely be sleeved are those special types and rares that you come across as you add to your collection. You can even sleeve cards that may have any errors on them, or vintage cards. Whether you plan to grade, sell, or want to keep them pristine inside your binder, these cards are worth getting that extra protection for. When it comes to common/uncommon cards, damaged or heavily played cards, or even cards that are not worth a lot of money (if that interests you), you can skip the sleeves. However, if you are unsure about sleeving a certain card, it is generally better to be safe than sorry.
Recommended Sleeves
If you want to know more about the specific types of sleeves recommended for different types of trainers, check out our other blog post, “Which Sleeve Should I Use?“, for an in-depth comparison from soft penny sleeves to inner and outer sleeves (double sleeving) to deck sleeves ideal for playing TCG. Otherwise, here is a list of our top recommendations for different types of sleeves:
For Max Protection: KMC Perfect Fit/Ultra Pro Eclipse
For Playing: Dragon Shield Matte
For Storage & Budget: Ultra PRO Penny Sleeves
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