"Card box" covers two very different products: a box holding greeting or note cards with their envelopes, and a tuck box holding a deck of playing or trading cards. Both are sized the same way, from the stack rather than from the single item, but the reference dimensions differ. Both are covered below.
Greeting and note card boxes
Size to the envelope. It is larger than the card, and it is the piece that has to move in and out of the box without bending a corner. US A style envelopes come in a familiar set of sizes.
| Envelope | Approximate size | Typical card use |
|---|---|---|
| A2 | 4 3/8 x 5 3/4 in | Note cards, thank you cards |
| A6 | 4 3/4 x 6 1/2 in | Standard greeting cards |
| A7 | 5 1/4 x 7 1/4 in | Larger greeting cards, invitations |
| A9 | 5 3/4 x 8 3/4 in | Oversized cards and announcements |
These are the common commercial sizes, and trims vary slightly between paper suppliers, so measure the envelopes you have actually bought before the die is cut.
The depth calculation
Depth is where card boxes fail. Work it as: (thickness of one card plus its envelope) x (number in the set) + clearance. Two notes on that. Folded cards are twice the caliper of the stock they are printed on, and a stack of folded cards is thicker at the fold than at the open edge, so a tall stack leans. If your set is more than a handful of cards, either add a little extra depth or plan for the stack to be banded.
Clearance also has to let fingers in. A box sized exactly to the stack looks precise and is infuriating to use. A small finger notch cut into the side wall, or a ribbon pull under the stack, solves it without adding depth.
Deck and trading card boxes
Playing cards have their own standards. Poker size is about 2.5 x 3.5 inches and bridge size is about 2.25 x 3.5 inches. Trading cards commonly match the poker footprint. A deck box is sized from that footprint plus the stack thickness, which depends on card stock and count, so count out your actual deck and measure the stack rather than calculating from a catalogue caliper. If the deck will be sleeved by a player, add for the sleeves or the box becomes unusable after purchase, which is a common complaint about game packaging.
Construction options
- Tuck end carton. The standard deck box, ships flat, cheapest per unit.
- Two piece rigid. Lid and base, used for boxed card sets and stationery gifts.
- Sleeve over a tray. Shows the card edge, good for sets sold as gifts.
- Magnetic closure box. For premium decks and collector sets.
Ordering
The minimum is 100 boxes per design and pricing starts from about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes, confirmed on your written quote. The die, the plates, design support, US shipping and a digital proof are included, so a size built around your exact envelope or deck costs no more in tooling than a standard one. Turnaround is stated per product across rush (expedited production plus air freight), standard (air) and cost saver (sea) lanes, from about 7 business days plus 2 to 5 for delivery, with specialty imported items up to about 12 weeks and a rush premium of about 7 to 25% depending on the job.
For a card set sold alongside other paper goods, see custom stationery boxes. To get a box sized to your stack, send the envelope size and the count per set through the quote form.
