"1.2 Nonmachinable Criteria
A letter-size piece is nonmachinable if it has one or more of the following characteristics (see 601.1.1.2 to determine the length, height, top, and bottom of a mailpiece):
Is too rigid (does not bend easily when subjected to a transport belt tension of 40 pounds around an 11-inch diameter turn)."
By definition, a single toploaded card or even up to 12 cards in a team bag pass this rigidity test. Plain and simple. My envelopes would all be rejected and spit out of the machine if they were in fact too rigid. This never happens. However I have sent 2 toploaders in one envelope about 3 times in the past. 3/3 failure rate, so two toploaders is most certainly too rigid.
Ive been refused at the window simply for rigidity though it’s been awhile. I was told this doesnt bend.
The op just had it happen to him too as have others so I don’t know what more to say.
It really doesn’t matter anymore though since the use of a cardsaver is cheaper and well within the limits. Plus, I don’t think it’s as likely to get hung up in the machinery.
I still have yet to compare the quality between UP semi rigids and UP toploads. Cardboard gold are just too expensive for me to justify. With UP, I can get both for about 4.8 cents each plus shipping, but the toploads come with penny sleeves included, not that a $0.0032 difference on the semi rigid + penny sleeve is going to make or break it.
Back to your speeding example… You being told at the counter that it is too rigid is akin to being pulled over in a 55 for doing 54 because the officer thought the speed limit in the zone was 40. They are wrong and you are right. Simply demonstrate to them the actual wording from their own website and assure them that it will be fine. You can also physically bend it quite easily in front of them to show them. Sure, a bit of a hassle for 21 cents, but we aren’t debating convenience or anything like that just discussing a matter of fact which is that they can surely be shipped regularly with a single stamp.
cheers. Sorry