How to Store Jumbo Pokémon Cards

If you’re a collector of jumbo Pokémon cards, then you know that storing them can be a challenge. In this blog post, we’ll give you some tips on how to store them safely and efficiently. We’ll also recommend some products that will help you keep your cards in great condition and some that you probably didn’t know about.

What are jumbo cards?

Jumbo cards (also known as oversized cards) are Pokémon cards that are printed extra-large. They are not tournament legal and are strictly promotional. In North America, we often see them included in merchandise such as collection boxes. They are sometimes given out at game or card shops such as Gamestop.

The first jumbo card was printed as an insert in the Top Deck Magazine in February 2000 and was an extra-large copy of the Base set Pikachu. Only a few jumbo cards were printed in the early years, and some weren’t even ‘official’. For example, CoroCoro Magazine, which had a close relationship with Pokémon, printed a jumbo Base set Charizard in their April 2000 issue.

Today, we see dozens of jumbo cards being printed every year. It’s safe to say, they’re here to stay. 

Jumbo card sizes

There are four different sizes of oversized cards if you include Box Toppers. Box Toppers were only printed from Legendary Collection (2002) to EX Holon Phantoms (2006) and were about ⅓ larger than standard cards. 

Jumbos, however, were originally printed in a 6 x 8 inch form factor by Wizards of the Coast. When The Pokémon Company took over, they increased the jumbo card size to 8 x 9 inches. This is where the jumbo card size stayed until 2020. With the release of the Meowth VMAX collection, jumbo cards now had a slightly smaller size, sitting at 5.75 x 8 inches. This change in size may seem odd, but it was likely done to prepare for the first official jumbo card binders that were right around the corner.

Binders for jumbo cards

Wizards of the Coast never distributed an official binder for their oversized cards, and The Pokémon Company didn’t either- until recently. 

In April 2020, the first official oversized card binder became available from a Gamestop promotion that was later available for purchase through other retailers. Since then, other official oversized binders have also been produced, including the First Partners binders as part of the 25th Anniversary Celebrations product line.

However, the new binders only fit the new jumbo size of 5.75 x 8 inches. Any jumbo cards before 2020 won’t fit. 

Thankfully, there are hundreds of products out there made by third-party manufacturers that can offer ample storage for jumbos. Oversized card binders have been around for almost as long as oversized cards- just not official ones. 

Sleeves for jumbo cards

While binders offer good protection, many collectors prefer to sleeve their cards. Luckily, oversized card sleeves are a thing! 

Two top brands in the trading card world include Ultra Pro and Ultimate Guard. Both companies offer sleeves and even top loaders in various sizes. This is especially good news for those of us who like to sleeve our cards and then store them in top loaders. You already do it with your standard-sized cards, so why not with jumbos too?

Find jumbo card sleeves on Amazon here.

Other storage options

If you don’t have access to oversized binders or sleeves, there are other options to temporarily keep your jumbo cards safe in a pinch. 

Your cards face two main threats- moisture and scratches. Moisture is responsible for cards curving or warping. Thankfully, jumbo cards are printed on much thicker cardstock and as a result, are less prone to curving. However, it can and does happen, so it is wise to get ahead and prevent it before it can happen. Sleeves and binders will prevent this, of course, but if you are in a pinch, try sandwiching your card into a large hardcover book and place the book somewhere safe. 

The book method will keep moisture from being absorbed and will also offer physical protection. If possible, tape the book closed with some painter’s tape to prevent it from opening in the event of a fall or accident.

The book method isn’t ideal, but works if you have kids and/or pets running around! 

Conclusion

Jumbo cards are cool, and even if you don’t collect them, you probably have some from purchasing other products off the shelf. Since they are purely promotional, and not many are printed, they can sometimes be valuable. You protect your other cards so why not protect the jumbos too, right? Binders will be the best option if you are an active collector who likes to add cards and occasionally show them off. Sleeves and top loaders from Ultra Pro are a fantastic option as well. They will keep your cards safe.