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How to Send Cards to Imperium Grading: Step-by-Step UK Guide

Collector's Edge

How to send cards to Imperium Grading: packing photos of a card in a penny sleeve and semi-rigid holder, beside a graded Imperium slab

To send cards to Imperium Grading, you place and pay for a submission on imperiumgrading.com, put each card in a penny sleeve and a semi-rigid card holder, pack them in a sturdy box with your submission slip, and post them tracked and insured to Imperium in Whiteley, Hampshire. They're graded in the UK and come back by Royal Mail Signed For with a full online report.

Save 5% on your submissionEnter code CE at checkout on imperiumgrading.com. Verified working 8 October 2026.
Code CE details
5Services: grading to custom cards
£12Per card on Bronze (£11.40 with CE)
1-2 daysFastest turnaround
8Stages your cards go through

00 · Before you start

Which cards are worth grading?

Grading costs money, so be choosy. A card is usually worth sending if at least one of these is true:

  • It's worth noticeably more graded than raw. If a high grade wouldn't cover the fee and postage, keep it in a binder.
  • You want to protect or display it. A favourite card in a sealed slab with a hand-drawn art label is reason enough.
  • You need it authenticated before you sell or buy something expensive.

Then check the condition honestly: corners and edges under a bright light, tilt for surface scratches, and measure the centering. Imperium is strict: a Gem Mint 10 needs 55/45 or better on the front and 60/40 on the back, and the Imperium 10 needs 51/49 and 55/45.

Measure your centering firstOur free card centering tool gives you a ratio from a photo in seconds.
Open the centering tool

01 · Step 1

Pick your service and tier

GradingGrade, slab and report
CrossoverRe-grade from another slab
ReholderNew Imperium slab, same grade
AuthenticationVerified and slabbed, no grade
Custom cardsYour own label text and art

Each service comes in four speeds. The tier sets the price, the turnaround and the minimum number of cards:

Tier Grading With CE Turnaround Minimum
Platinum £35 £33.25 1-2 business days 1 card
Gold £25 £23.75 3-5 business days 1 card
Silver £15 £14.25 10-15 business days 3 cards
Bronze £12 £11.40 15-30 business days 5 cards
Which tier?Silver is the best balance for most people. Use Platinum or Gold for a single card you need back fast, and Bronze for bulk runs. Turnaround times are Imperium's estimates, and postage is on top.

02 · Step 2

Choose a label

Imperium's labels are a big reason people choose them:

  • Standard (free): a clean scientific label with the grade and all four subgrades.
  • Art label (+£3): hand-drawn by Imperium's artists, carrying the card's artwork into the label. No AI. You can request cards they haven't drawn yet.
  • Retro label (+£3): vintage-style labels for older Pokémon cards, themed on the Pokémon's type.
  • Set label (+£3): One Piece cards, styled on the set.
  • Franchise label (+£3): Lorcana cards, styled on the film: Olaf gets a Frozen label, Simba a Lion King one.
Imperium Grading art label slab of Japanese Mega Gengar ex
Art label
Imperium Grading Gem Mint 10 Articuno from Pokémon 30th Celebration
30th Celebration art label
Imperium Grading Gem Mint 10 One Piece Monkey D. Luffy slab
One Piece slab

Images: Imperium Grading

TipThink a card could make an Imperium 10? Tick "Prefer Imperium 10" when you choose the label. If it makes the grade, it comes back with the holofoil Imperium 10 label.

03 · Step 3

Fill in the submission and pay

1Sign in at imperiumgrading.comCreate an account or use Google or Facebook.
2Choose your service and tierThen add your cards with their details, exactly as printed on the card.
3Give each card an honest declared valueImperium uses it for handling and return shipping, and its liability for a card is capped at the declared value. Undervalue a card and you're the one who loses out.
4Pick labels and add-onsStandard is free; Art, Retro, Set and Franchise labels are +£3.
5Enter code CEIn the coupon box, before you pay. Check the 5% comes off.
6Check your address and payReturn postage and any extra insurance are added at checkout.
7Print your submission slipFrom the confirmation email or your dashboard. No printer? Write the submission number clearly on a note.

04 · Step 4

Pack your cards properly

Most grading horror stories start with bad packing. Follow Imperium's rules exactly:

Packing cards for Imperium Grading, step 1: choose your card
1. Choose your card
Packing cards for Imperium Grading, step 2: a clean penny sleeve
2. Clean penny sleeve
Packing cards for Imperium Grading, step 3: a semi-rigid card holder
3. Semi-rigid holder
Packing cards for Imperium Grading, step 4: card sandwich for extra protection
4. Card sandwich
Packing cards for Imperium Grading, step 5: bubble wrap and a box
5. Bubble wrap and a box

Images: Imperium Grading

No toploadersImperium's shipping policy says don't use rigid toploaders or screwdowns for standard cards. Use a penny sleeve inside a semi-rigid holder (a card saver) so the card comes out cleanly. Their own how-to graphic calls it a "semi-rigid top loader": it's the soft card-saver style you want.
1Stack in slip orderArrange the cards in the same order as your submission slip.
2Sandwich and bandPut the stack between two pieces of card and hold it with paper bands. No tape on the holders.
3Use a sturdy boxNot a padded envelope. Fill the gaps with bubble wrap so nothing moves.
4Slip on top, then sealSubmission slip on top of the cards inside the box, then tape every edge.

05 · Step 5

Post it to Imperium

Send your cards to

Imperium Grading Ltd
Steel House, 4300 Parkway
Whiteley, Fareham
PO15 7FP
United Kingdom

  • Write your submission number on the outside label as well as the slip inside.
  • Use a tracked, signed-for service, such as Royal Mail Special Delivery, with cover for the value inside.
  • Keep your proof of postage. The parcel is your responsibility until Imperium records it as received.

06 · Inside Imperium

What happens to your cards at Imperium

Imperium emails you at each stage, and you can follow the order in your dashboard:

Stage 1Arrival and intakeOpened, photographed and checked against your order. Unpaid cards go back ungraded.
Stage 2First gradingCentering, corners, edges and surface under magnification, with digital centering measurement.
Stage 3Second gradingA second grader grades it again without seeing the first scores.
Stage 4FinalisationThe head grader reviews both and confirms the grade.
Stage 5Label productionYour Standard, Retro, Set or Art label is printed and checked.
Stage 6EncapsulationUltrasonically sealed in Imperium's UK-made slab.
Stage 7Final quality checkEach finished slab is inspected.
Stage 8DispatchBoxed up, with tracking emailed to you.
The overall grade can never be more than one grade above the lowest subgrade.Imperium Grading, grading scale

07 · Step 6

Getting your cards back

Imperium returns UK orders by Royal Mail Signed For as standard, in a rigid box with cushioning, and you can upgrade to Special Delivery. They aim to dispatch within one business day of the order being ready to ship; orders confirmed after 3pm, at weekends or on bank holidays go the next business day. Someone needs to be in to sign.

TipFilm yourself opening the parcel. Imperium strongly recommends an unboxing video, and it's your best evidence if a slab arrives cracked or a label is wrong.

08 · Step 7

Read your grading report

Every graded card gets a free online report. Scan the QR code on the back of the slab, or enter the certification number on Imperium's cert lookup. You'll see the grade and four subgrades, exact centering front and back, every defect numbered with a close-up photo, and the card's place in the population report.

An example Imperium Grading online report with grade, subgrades, centering and defect photos
An Imperium online report
The back of an Imperium Grading slab with the QR code that links to the report
Scan the QR code to open it

Images: Imperium Grading

Read it even when you're happy with the grade. It shows you exactly what graders pick up on, which makes you much better at choosing what to send next time.

09 · Problems

If something's wrong

Missing or wrong itemsTell Imperium within 14 days
Slab faults or label errorsWithin 30 days, with photos
Damaged in the postClaim with the carrier
Disagree with a gradeNot covered: read the report

For slab or label problems, send photos, your order reference and the slab serial number. Don't try to open a slab: it voids any claim.

10 · Avoid

Mistakes to avoid

Do this
  • ✓Penny sleeve plus semi-rigid holder
  • ✓A sturdy box with bubble wrap
  • ✓Submission number inside and outside
  • ✓Honest declared values
  • ✓Tracked and signed-for postage
  • ✓Code CE at checkout
Don't do this
  • ✕Hard toploaders or screwdowns
  • ✕Padded envelopes
  • ✕Cards out of order versus the slip
  • ✕Undervalued cards
  • ✕Untracked post
  • ✕Tape on the card holders

11 · FAQ

Imperium submission FAQ

Can I use toploaders to send cards to Imperium?
Not for standard cards. Imperium asks for a penny sleeve inside a semi-rigid holder, and says not to use toploaders or screwdowns.
What's Imperium Grading's address?
Imperium Grading Ltd, Steel House, 4300 Parkway, Whiteley, Fareham PO15 7FP. Put your submission number on the outside of the parcel.
How long does Imperium Grading take?
1 to 2 business days on Platinum, 3 to 5 on Gold, 10 to 15 on Silver and 15 to 30 on Bronze, plus postage both ways. These are Imperium's estimates.
Do I need a printer to submit?
No. Write the submission number clearly on a note inside the box and on the outside of the parcel.
How do I get money off Imperium Grading?
Use code CE at checkout for 5% off your submission. It's the Collector's Edge partner code.
How do I check an Imperium grade?
Scan the QR code on the back of the slab, or enter the certification number on Imperium's cert lookup page.

Sources

Collector's Edge is an official Imperium Grading partner. If you use code CE, Imperium may pay us a small referral fee, at no cost to you. Details checked 8 October 2026. Images: Imperium Grading.