Before you send money on a graded card — at a show, on eBay, or during a Whatnot stream — there are specific things you should check. This guide covers the visual and physical tells for PSA, BGS, and CGC fake slabs, drawn from collector community documentation and known fraud cases.
Important Disclaimer
Visual inspection alone cannot definitively authenticate a slab. These are red flags to identify obvious fakes — not a substitute for provenance verification. Always cross-reference with official registry lookups and SlabProof verification before high-value purchases.
General Slab Inspection Checklist
Regardless of grading company, apply these checks to any slab before purchase:
- —Weight and feel: Authentic slabs have a consistent, solid weight. Fakes are often lighter or have a slightly different plastic density.
- —Seam inspection: Hold the slab at an angle under bright light and inspect the edges. Authentic slabs have clean, machine-sealed edges. Resealed slabs often show slight gaps, adhesive residue, or irregular seam lines.
- —Label adhesion: Labels on authentic slabs are precision-applied. Look for any bubbling, uneven edges, or slight misalignment.
- —Cert number scan: Always look up the cert number on the official registry before purchase. Verify the card description, grade, and image match exactly.
- —QR code function: All modern graded slabs include scannable QR codes. If the code doesn't scan or redirects incorrectly, treat as a red flag.
- —Hologram quality: Holograms should be crisp, with proper depth and color shift. Flat or dull holograms are a common tell on counterfeit labels.
PSA-Specific Checks
Label Font and Layout
PSA labels use a specific proprietary font. Counterfeit labels frequently show wrong typeface weight, slightly off letter spacing, or subtle differences in the PSA logo sizing. Compare against a known-authentic PSA slab of similar vintage if possible.
The Light Test
A widely-shared collector technique: hold the slab under a UV or strong directional light source and examine the label from different angles. Authentic PSA labels have specific security printing features that appear under UV. Many fakes use standard printing that shows no UV features or shows the wrong pattern.
Cert Number Format
PSA cert numbers follow specific formatting conventions that have changed over time. A cert number format inconsistent with the card's supposed grading era is a significant red flag. PSA's registry lookup will also show you the grading date — verify it's consistent with when the cert format was in use.
BGS-Specific Checks
Patent Number Tell
BGS slabs include a patent number on the case. This number changed at specific points in BGS's history. Collector forums maintain detailed documentation of which patent numbers correspond to which production eras. A patent number inconsistent with the card's supposed grading year is a major tell.
The Luka Problem
Fake BGS Luka Doncic Prizm slabs have been one of the most widely documented counterfeit cases in recent years. Multiple eBay listings — including from seemingly reputable sellers — have featured fake BGS cases. The most consistent tell: subtle differences in the BGS hologram sticker on the back of the case.
CGC-Specific Checks
Pristine Label Fakes
CGC Pristine (10) label fakes have been documented across collector forums. The most common tells: hologram quality differences and QR codes that either don't scan or redirect to non-CGC URLs. Authentic CGC QR codes always resolve to the official CGC registry.
When Visual Inspection Isn't Enough
For any purchase above a few hundred dollars, visual inspection should be a first filter — not a final answer. The most sophisticated fakes pass visual inspection. Cert clones — where a real cert number is applied to a different card — are invisible to visual inspection.
This is why provenance verification matters. A SlabProof-registered slab gives any buyer access to the full history of that specific slab before they pay. Verify at slabproof.com before any significant purchase.