How does shipping insurance work?

You send your cards to us with a tracked service and add the tracking number on your parcel page; for valuable cards, choose a service with enough insurance cover. Return delivery is chosen when you pay, or once your cards are ready to come back, from Royal Mail Tracked 48 up to Special Delivery Guaranteed, which is insured to £750.

Can I send cards from outside the UK?

Yes. The quote, the price and the process are the same: send two photos first, and post the card only after you've accepted and paid. You arrange tracked, insured postage to our UK workshop and choose your return service when you pay, or once your cards are ready to come back.

Where is the YIAN workshop?

In Tonbridge, Kent, in the United Kingdom. YIAN is the trading name of APHRODITE FASHION LIMITED (company number 07899100). The workshop address for sending cards is shown on your parcel page once you've paid.

How do I get a quote?

Choose a package and send two photos, the front and the back of the card, with a short note on what it's for. No account is needed. We reply within two working days and tell you whether we can help and the price before you pay anything.

When should I post my card?

Only after you've accepted and paid for your quote. Your parcel page then shows how to pack the card and where to send it, and you add your tracking number there. Please don't send a card before that.

What types of damage can you fix?

We can assess surface dirt, light scratches, holo wear, minor dents, and small bends. What can improve depends on the card’s condition, so we review it before agreeing to any work. If you choose it with your quote, we can also touch up small white spots (up to 1mm) with colour: on the back of any Pokémon card, and on the front of vintage cards with solid yellow borders. It's included in the price. Deep creases, larger ink loss, water staining, and structural damage may have limited improvement potential. We will explain those limits before you decide.

How long does restoration take?

Timing depends on the card and the work. We confirm the expected turnaround with your in-hand assessment, and every step appears on your quote page as it happens.

What happens when my card arrives?

We photograph the card on arrival and assess it in hand. No work starts until that assessment is done and you've approved the plan. If the card needs something different from what we quoted, we ask you first.

Will I see what was done to my card?

Yes. We photograph every stage, from arrival to the finished card, and the photos appear on your quote page. You also get a Before and After report, so you have a clear record of the work.

What is non-invasive restoration?

It's work that removes or eases problems without adding anything to the card: cleaning surface dirt and residue, and easing minor wear, dents and small bends. That's our standard service. Colour touch-up, which does add ink, is a separate option you choose.

Sending Your Card to a UK Restoration Workshop from the US or Abroad

Crossing the Pond: The No-Stress Guide to Mail In Card Restoration

Sending a prized vintage Pokémon card overseas sounds downright terrifying, doesn't it? 🌍

Picture this: you are digging through the attic, pull open a forgotten shoe box, and find your childhood Base Set Charizard sitting in a beaten-up binder. Your heart races for a second—until you pull it out under the kitchen light. It is coated in years of greasy grime, bears an unsightly foil crease from an old schoolyard brawl, and the corners are soft and peeling. You want it fixed. You desperately want that childhood magic back.

Yet, when you look around online, the options feel murky at best. Sketchy home-brewed cleaning kits on eBay promise the world, but they look like an absolute recipe for disaster. You certainly do not want an amateur drenching your nostalgic treasure in harsh industrial solvents or mystery oils. Choosing a specialist mail in card restoration service halfway across the globe in the UK might feel like taking a massive leap of faith when you are living in the United States, Canada, or Australia.

Here is the truth: international collectors send their cards across the Atlantic every single week. When you trust your card to YIAN Card Restore for overseas collectors, distance completely disappears behind crystal-clear communication, honest assessments, and fully insured international shipping. 📦✨

The entire journey is refreshingly simple and completely transparent. You never have to hand over your hard-earned money before knowing exactly what can realistically be fixed. Everything kicks off with a couple of quick snaps taken right on your dining room table. If our tailor-made repair plan makes sense to you, you pop your card into an envelope, send it across the pond with end-to-end tracking, and our UK bench handles the rest with surgeon-level patience.

We take photos at every milestone, record the unboxing package on video, and touch absolutely nothing until you give us your full blessing. Ready to give your cards the pampering they deserve? Here is everything you need to know about preparing, declaring, and dispatching your cards to our UK workshop without losing a single night of sleep! 🛡️

Why Overseas Collectors Use a UK Specialist

Why on earth would an overseas collector bother mailing cardboard thousands of miles over an ocean? Why not just track down a local guy down the street?

It really boils down to three crucial ingredients: technique, philosophy, and trust. 🤝

The modern trading card space is flooded with self-proclaimed "card doctors." Perhaps you have seen them circulating on social media: hobbyists who coat card surfaces in greasy mineral oils to mask holo scratches, or slap down aggressive chemical solvents to strip wax residue. While these aggressive shortcuts might look half-decent under a low-res camera lens for five minutes, they frequently backfire down the road. They leave delicate cellulose paper parched, discoloured, chemically burnt, or permanently warped months later. Once that paper structure is fried, there is no going back. 🛑

Our UK workshop approaches every trading card as a delicate piece of paper conservation. We treat your vintage holographic cards with the exact same care an art gallery archivist would grant a centuries-old watercolour print. Standard work at our bench is completely non-invasive. We use specialized techniques to lift away stubborn surface oils, gently relax compacted paper fibres, ease out stubborn dents, roll back bent corners, and safely diminish fine scratches in foil layers.

Crucially, standard treatments add nothing foreign to the paper or plastic substrate. No artificial gloss coats. No sticky fillers. Just honest, meticulous craft that preserves the soul of your card.

We understand that popping an irreplaceable heirloom in the post can make anyone nervous. If you want a quick sanity check before spending a penny on international airmail, you can ask us about your card on WhatsApp before you post anything. Having direct, one-on-one access to the very hands working on your card eliminates all the anxiety of international shipping. 💬

Before pulling the trigger on any physical restoration work, it also makes financial sense to see where your card currently sits in the broader marketplace. You can easily track, value, and protect your Pokémon cards by researching historical auction records and sales trends, helping you make a sound, calculated decision on whether a vintage card warrants restoration. 📈

Step 1: The Free Photo Quote (Before You Spend a Penny)

Let’s be honest: nobody wants to mail an expensive collectible across the planet on a blind gamble. You shouldn't have to cross your fingers and pray for the best. That is precisely why our entire workflow starts digitally, right from your sofa: 🛋️

📸 Take two clear photos: One of the front, one of the back. Make sure the card is taken completely out of any binder page, semi-rigid holder, or penny sleeve so reflections don't hide the true surface condition.
☀️ Use natural lighting: Indirect daylight right next to a window works wonders. It prevents blinding flash glare while highlighting hairline surface scratches, edge chipping, and subtle foil indents.
🗂️ Submit up to 12 cards at once: Got a whole binder page of vintage holos looking a little tired? Bundle them together in a single request.
⚡ Zero account creation: You don’t need to configure a password, enter credit card details, or fill out endless profile fields just to see what can be done.

You can hop over to our submission portal to get a quote for Pokémon card restoration in a matter of seconds. Within two working days, our team reviews your images and sends back a complete, honest breakdown detailing exactly what our bench can improve and what will realistically remain the same. If a crease has permanently severed the underlying cardstock, we tell you straight up. We would rather lose a repair job than give you unrealistic expectations.

Our pricing is intentionally simple: a predictable, flat rate of £30 per card, plus return postage. That's it!

Unlike card grading companies, we don't believe in charging you punitive "upcharges" just because your card happens to be rare or valuable. Restoring a £10 Jungle Clefable requires the exact same skill, patience, and materials as working on a £1,000 1st Edition Shadowless Blastoise. Why should you pay more for the Blastoise? We don't think you should.

Furthermore, through our beloved Kids Free initiative, eligible young collectors can have their beat-up playground cards lovingly restored without paying a service fee, backed by amazing community members who sponsor kids' cards or gift restorations. 🎁

Curious to see what these specialized techniques look like in real life? You can see bent corners flattened and dents eased out on TikTok to review candid before-and-after clips directly from our workbench. Seeing is believing! 🎥

Step 2: Preparing Your Card for International Travel

Once you look over your free photo quote and decide to move forward, wrapping your parcel properly is the single most important task on your to-do list. When a package flies across the world, it passes through dozens of sorting facilities, conveyor belts, and turbulence-heavy flights. Your card should never rattle, bend, or slide during transit! ✈️

Safe Packaging Protocol

Follow these four foolproof steps to build a bomb-proof parcel:

Sleeve carefully: Gently slide the card into a brand-new, clean penny sleeve. If an edge is peeling or lifted, do not force it down. Cut a tiny slit on the side of the sleeve if necessary so the card glides in without snagging delicate paper.
Semi-rigid or top-loader: Place that sleeved card into a clean semi-rigid holder (such as a Card Saver 1) or a rigid top-loader. If you opt for a top-loader, stick a gentle paper pull-tab to the sleeve first so our team can extract the card smoothly without pinching or bending the top edge. Never tape the top of a top-loader shut with sticky parcel tape; use painter's tape or a team bag!
Sandwich between cardboard: Cut two thick, rigid pieces of corrugated cardboard about an inch larger than the plastic holder on all sides. Sandwich the card safely inside and tape the edges firmly. If dropped, the cardboard absorbs the shock—not your card corners.
Bubble mailer or sturdy box: Slide the cardboard sandwich into a bubble-cushioned mailer, or even better, a small, rigid corrugated box with packing peanuts.

When choosing an international shipping option (such as USPS Priority Mail International, Canada Post Tracked Packet, or an express courier like DHL or UPS), always ensure you select tracked shipping with a signature requirement upon delivery.

Outbound shipping insurance is arranged directly through your local postal provider when you drop the parcel off. On our end, once the magic is complete, we arrange fully tracked and insured return delivery right back to your front door.

If you are currently weighing up raw card values against graded market comps while planning your restoration budget, take a second to look up your card and compare price references with YIAN Card Tools to see what recent collectors have actually paid. 📊

The Honest Restorer's View: Collections vs Grading

One of the most frequent questions from international hobbyists is: "Will third-party grading agencies like PSA, Beckett, or CGC accept a restored card?"

We refuse to sugarcoat this topic. The collectible space is plagued by vague promises and misleading marketing. Let's break this down through two distinct lenses: 🔍

1. Your Personal Collection

If your card is destined for a binder, a framed wall display, or an acrylic one-touch magnetic case on your gaming desk, whether a card is considered "altered" is your decision and nobody else's. Your collection belongs to you!

Our job as your restorer is to help your card look its absolute best, free from ugly grime and distracting dents. If you want that gorgeous, vibrant 1999 aesthetic restored so you can admire it every day, we make that happen without judging.

2. Submitting to Grading Companies

If your endgame is to submit your card to PSA, Beckett (BGS), or CGC to turn a profit, online forum debates do not set the rules; the published guidelines and the individual human graders at those institutions do.

Grading involves human judgment, personal tolerances, and day-to-day mood swings. A grade is simply one company's subjective opinion on a particular afternoon under specific lighting.

Because of this reality, we never guarantee a specific numerical grade, an upgraded subgrade, or that a card will automatically pass third-party inspection. Anyone who makes that promise is selling you snake oil.

What we do provide is complete transparency before touching your card:

Treatment Type	What It Involves	Impact on Grading Submissions
Non-Invasive Conservation	Deep surface cleaning, flattening warps, easing dents, softening scratches.	Very well-tolerated. No foreign elements are added to the cardstock.
Optional Micro Colour Touch-Up	Infilling tiny edge wear (≤1mm) using colour-matched archival pigments.	High Risk. Incredible for binders, but graders may flag this as an "Altered" card.

We document every single intervention openly and walk you through every possible risk factor so you can make an educated choice. For international collectors seeking peace of mind, choosing a mail in card restoration service with fixed pricing guarantees you get candid, professional advice long before a tool ever touches your card. 💡

Customs Declarations: What You Need to Check

Nobody likes dealing with customs paperwork, but doing it correctly makes all the difference when shipping across international borders. 📋✈️

When dispatching cards to our UK studio, you will need to complete a standard customs declaration form provided by your post office (typically a CN22 or CN23 form, or a digital equivalent if shipping online):

Specify the nature of the parcel: Clearly state that the item is being sent abroad for temporary repair and restoration services, not sold as merchandise to a buyer. This helps avoid unnecessary commercial import tariffs.
Confirm carrier categories: Postal services treat repair items differently. Check directly with your local carrier (USPS, Canada Post, FedEx, or DHL) to ensure your international paperwork reflects inward processing or temporary repair according to their guidelines.
Declare accurate raw values: Never guess or deliberately misstate values. Declare the item accurately according to its current, damaged condition to align with your outbound shipping and insurance coverage.

Taking five extra minutes to fill out your customs slip carefully ensures your parcel glides through border checks without unexpected delays or surprise duties.

Inside the Workshop: The Six-Stage Journey

Ever wonder what actually happens once your prized envelope lands on our side of the pond? We do not believe in keeping you in the dark.

Your card embarks on a structured six-stage journey designed to keep you informed every step of the way: 🛠️

Received: Your parcel is safely signed for and placed in our secure staging vault. 📬
Filmed Unboxing & Intake Photography: We turn on the cameras, record the unboxing, and take macro photographs of the card's arrival state. You see what we see. 📸
Plan Approved: We share high-res intake photos with you and confirm the restoration plan. If you want to change your mind or hold off on a particular treatment, you can. We do not touch the card until you say go. 👍
Restoration: Our team carries out non-invasive cleaning, gentle flattening, dent easing, and optional micro-touch-ups by hand under sterile magnification. 🔬
Final Inspection: The restored card is checked against our quality control standards and photographed alongside its original intake images so you can see the transformation. ✨
Insured Return: Your card is placed into brand-new archival sleeves, wrapped in rigid transit packaging, and sent back across the pond via tracked, insured international post. 🛫

If you ever want a quick status update while your card is on the bench, you can message the workshop on WhatsApp for immediate, friendly assistance. No automated bots—just real humans who love cards as much as you do! 💬

Real Feedback from Collectors

We know that sending your cards overseas requires trust. But don't just take our word for it—here is what passionate collectors have to say about their experience with our bench: 🌟

"I sent two retro Pokémon cards to Yian for repairs and cleaning, and I couldn’t be happier with the results—they look like new! She kept me informed throughout the process, explaining what needed repairing and providing regular updates and detailed reports. Amazing work and excellent communication. I’ll definitely be using Yian again. Thank you!"
— Andrew Dave, Customer, UK (Trustpilot review, 25 October 2026) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Absolutely Amazing service from start to finish, would happily recommend to anyone wanting to bring life back to their Pokémon cards… Have sent 3 cards up to now and have more to send. A thoroughly transparent and efficient service throughout."
— James Kean, Customer, UK (Trustpilot review, 27 October 2026) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Whether you are dispatching a single binder card from down the street or shipping a vintage deck across the Atlantic, our commitment to transparent communication remains identical.

Caring for Your Card After It Returns

When your card safely touches down on your doorstep, keeping it looking pristine is your next priority. A freshly restored card deserves a clean home! 🏡

Here are four essential tips to protect your card for decades to come:

🚫 Avoid cheap, hazy soft plastics: Low-grade vinyl sleeves often contain volatile plasticisers that can degrade card surfaces over time. Insist on 100% acid-free, PVC-free polypropylene or mylar sleeves.
🌡️ Manage your environment: Heat and moisture are cardboard's worst enemies. Fluctuating humidity causes foil layers to expand at different rates than paper backings, resulting in severe curling. Keep your binders away from drafty windows, radiators, and damp basements.
☀️ Block out ultraviolet light: If you are displaying your favourite card in an acrylic stand on your desk, make sure the case offers 99%+ UV resistance to keep vivid colours from bleaching.
📑 Keep a tidy digital catalog: An organized collection is a safe collection. Discover our dedicated Pokémon card tools for your collection to monitor card details, monitor market trends, and catalog your binders with ease.

If you have a card that has seen better days, remember that restoration is £30 per card, so see what we can improve before you pay.

International borders shouldn't prevent you from restoring the cards that defined your childhood. With transparent evaluations, meticulous conservation techniques, and secure shipping, your cards are in safe hands.

Take the first step toward reviving your collection with professional Pokémon card restoration at YIAN today! 🎉🃏