How we check every slab

Fake slabs exist, and so do genuine cases that have been opened and resealed with a different card inside. A valid cert number on its own proves nothing, because scammers copy real ones. So we check every slab in person, the same way, before we list it or pay for it.

1. The cert, looked up by hand

We type the cert number into the grader’s own website ourselves. We never follow the QR code printed on the slab. The card name, set, number and grade on the grader’s record must match the slab exactly. We save a screenshot of the result.

2. The label and the case

We look at the label print under magnification: fonts, spacing, colours, holograms and barcodes. Then the case itself: genuine slabs are sonically sealed, so we look for frosting, gaps, glue, tool marks or any flex along the seams that would suggest it has been opened.

3. The card itself

Through the plastic, we check the card’s print pattern, colour, texture and text against known genuine copies. A resealed slab with a swapped card is caught here, even when the label and cert are real.

4. Does the deal make sense?

Anything offered well below market gets a closer look. Most fakes are sold as bargains.

What each grader gives you

PSA: the largest grader. Its cert page shows the card and grade.
CGC: half grades throughout, with Pristine 10 above Gem Mint 10.
TAG: most slabs link to a full digital report with a 1000-point score, centering and a defect map. We link it on the slab page.
ACE: a UK grader with subgrades for centering, corners, edges and surface. We show them on the slab page.

eBay UK’s trading card Authenticity Guarantee covers PSA, CGC, BGS and SGC slabs, but not TAG or ACE. Our checks are the same for every grader.

If you have a concern

If anything about a slab you bought from us doesn’t look right, contact us. We’ll look into it straight away, and you have at least 14 days to return it.