Standard Trading Card Size
The industry standard trading card measures 2.5 × 3.5 inches (63.5 × 88.9 mm). This format has been the gold standard since Topps established it and remains universal across:
- Topps — baseball, football, hockey cards
- Panini — basketball, soccer, football cards
- Upper Deck — hockey, baseball cards
- Pokémon & Magic: The Gathering — TCG cards
CardStar prints all cards at exactly this size, ensuring compatibility with standard sleeves, top loaders, and display cases.
Print Specifications
When designing for print, understand these two critical zones:
Safe Zone (2.375 × 3.375 inches / 60.3 × 85.7 mm)
Keep all important text and imagery within this area. Content outside may be trimmed.
Bleed Area (2.625 × 3.625 inches / 66.7 × 92.1 mm)
Extend backgrounds to this line. The extra 1.5mm on each side ensures no white edges after cutting.
Resolution: Minimum 300 DPI. For a standard card, that means at least 1500 × 2100 pixels.
Card Stock Thickness
Standard trading cards are printed on 14pt card stock — the same weight used by Topps and Panini. This provides:
- Professional feel and rigidity
- Durability for handling and trading
- Compatibility with standard protective sleeves
CardStar offers both gloss (classic shine) and matte (fingerprint-resistant) finishes.
Sleeve and Holder Compatibility
Cards printed at standard dimensions fit:
- Penny sleeves (2.68 × 3.68 inches)
- Top loaders (3 × 4 inches)
- One-touch magnetic holders
- 9-pocket binder pages
- Graded card slabs (PSA, BGS, SGC)