Glossary
Point (pt)
Also called: point thickness, 35pt, card thickness
A point is a unit of card thickness equal to 0.001 inch (0.0254 mm), so a 35 pt card is 0.035 inches thick.
Every rigid holder is sold by point capacity, which is why the number matters. BCW defines it directly: one point is equivalent to .001 inches or .0254 millimeters.
Most cards you will handle are ordinary. Standard TCG cards and modern base sports cards fall in the 20–35 pt range and fit a regular toploader without trouble.
Thicker cards need thicker holders. Relics, patches, jersey cards and heavy premium stock climb well past 35 pt, and manufacturers make toploaders in tiers running up to several hundred points for memorabilia.
A holder that is too thick is a real problem, not just an aesthetic one — a card that can slide and rattle inside its holder will wear at the corners, which is precisely what the holder was bought to prevent.