Comic Book Bag & Board Size Guide: Which Size Fits Your Collection?

This guide breaks down the exact dimensions and pack sizes for every comic bag and board we stock, and shows you which board actually fits inside which bag based on real measurements (yes, we did this), not just matching names. A "Silver" bag and a "Silver" board aren't always the snuggest pair, since width is what decides the fit.

Comic bag sizes

Comic board sizes

Notice all Current, Silver and Golden boards share the same 26.7cm height. That's deliberate: height is never the problem when pairing a bag with a board. The width is what determines whether a board slides in easily or fights you at the door, so that's what we've used below to match them up.

Which board actually fits which bag?

Rather than pairing bags and boards purely by their size name, we lined up the real width of each board against the real body width of each bag. A board should always be equal to or narrower than the bag's body width (not counting the flap) to sit inside comfortably.

A little note: Graded Comic Book Bags don't need a board. These are sized (22.8cm x 35.6cm) to slip over an already-slabbed or CGC-graded comic, so the rigid slab does the job a backing board would normally do.

Loose Fit vs True Fit, explained

"Loose Fit" and "True Fit" describe the width of the bag or board, not the era of comic it's built for. True Fit is cut closer to the actual trim size of a modern comic for a snug, no-shift fit.  Loose Fit gives a few extra millimetres of breathing room, which is handy if your comics run slightly thicker (heavier paper stock, extra pages, a sticker or two on the cover) or if you find True Fit too tight to insert and remove comfortably.

Alot of the time it comes down to personal preference; often times collectors prefer their comic edges to be protected by an oversized backing board (eg. loose fit). This ensures that the board takes the brunt of a drop, rather than the comic. Others preference aesthetic and prefer the board to only offer a narrow white board. True fit works for these.

How to pick the right size for your comics

If you're not sure which group your comics fall into, measure a comic's width across its widest point (usually right at the spine) and compare it to the bag body widths above:

• Around 6 3/4" to 7 1/4" wide (17 to 18.4cm): most comics printed from 1970 onward, reach for Current or Silver.
• Around 7 1/2" to 8 1/2" wide (19 to 21.7cm): comics from the 1956-1969 era generally need Silver or Golden.
• Wider than 8 1/2" (21.7cm+) or oversized: Golden Loose Fit, or step up to Magazine size for large-format books, annuals and bound volumes.
• Already graded or slabbed: Graded Comic Book Bags only, no board needed.

When in doubt, size up rather than down. A board that's slightly narrower than the bag will still protect the comic; a board that's wider than the bag will bow, crease the corners, or refuse to go in at all.

Quick recommendations

• New comics straight off the shelf: Current Bag (True Fit) + Current Board, the snuggest, most economical combo for modern single issues.
• Long-term archival storage: Mylux Vault Mylar bags (Current or Silver), rigid, acid-free BOPET that won't yellow or cloud over decades.
• Bronze/Silver Age back issues: Silver Bag + Silver Board (True Fit for a tight fit, Loose Fit if the book runs thick).
• Golden Age or thicker vintage books: Golden Bag (True or Loose Fit) matched to the same-fit Golden Board.
• Magazines, annuals and oversized editions: Magazine Bag + Magazine Board.
• CGC/graded slabs: Graded Comic Book Bags on their own.

Still not sure which size fits your collection? Measure a comic and compare it against the widths above, or get in touch and we'll help you pick the right combination.