Graded-card guide

How to Verify a Graded Card Certification Number

Official lookup tools, matching labels, images and copied-number risk.

Graded cards combine a physical collectible, a third-party opinion, a holder and a market premium. Each part deserves separate verification.

1. Use official site

Use official site should be evaluated against the exact card, issue, grading company, grade, qualifier and holder generation. Use official verification and recent completed sales rather than relying on label familiarity alone.

2. Match description

Match description should be evaluated against the exact card, issue, grading company, grade, qualifier and holder generation. Use official verification and recent completed sales rather than relying on label familiarity alone.

3. Match grade

Match grade should be evaluated against the exact card, issue, grading company, grade, qualifier and holder generation. Use official verification and recent completed sales rather than relying on label familiarity alone.

4. Compare images

Compare images should be evaluated against the exact card, issue, grading company, grade, qualifier and holder generation. Use official verification and recent completed sales rather than relying on label familiarity alone.

5. Inspect physical holder

Inspect physical holder should be evaluated against the exact card, issue, grading company, grade, qualifier and holder generation. Use official verification and recent completed sales rather than relying on label familiarity alone.

Verification rule: Never buy an expensive slab only because its certification number returns a valid result. Compare the physical item with the official record.

Related tools