[mintacular]

I think there is a false security of the "padded mailer". It makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside that you put a card in this mailer but if you look at it objectively, does that mailer REALLY add enough cushion to prevent a heavy item from crushing the article inside it?

As stated, behind closed doors padded mailers (even those marked "fragile" chuckle...) are potentially tossed around carelessly, dumped by certain machines with other heavy boxes, etc., or worse yet run through quickly via a mail machine with heavy belts, etc.

A few months ago I received a graded cards from Joes Vintage on eBay (a $40 t205 common VG) and was a bit surprised that it came in a 400 ct set box and apparently he has learned the lesson the hard way...

My guess is that 10-20% of of graded cards put in a padded mailer are cracked/damaged in the process. You can sandwich them with cardboard to knock that % down probably well below 5%. Yet the only sure-fire way is to send it in a cardboard box. JMO