The short version
A PSA card's authenticity comes down to three things: the cert number looks up on PSA's site, what comes back matches the card in your hand, and the slab hasn't been opened. Once all three check out, then you can talk about grade and price. Draws on this site are 18+ only.
This guide covers graded physical Pokémon cards, with PSA as the most common grading company today. For grading fees, how to submit cards, and what separates a 10 from a 9, see our separate PSA grading basics guide.
Where to find the cert number
The label on a PSA card sits at the top of the slab. It's printed with the card name, year, set, card number, grade, and a cert number, usually 8 or more digits. Newer labels also have a QR code on the right side, and scanning it opens PSA's verification page directly.
Older labels don't have a QR code, and that alone doesn't mean a card is fake. Without one, just type the cert number in manually.
Step one: look up the cert number on PSA's site
Open psacard.com, find Cert Verification, and enter the number. If it comes up, the page shows the card's name, year, set, card number, and grade, and for some cards, PSA's own front and back photos.
If nothing comes up, that's a red flag. It's rare for a card to be freshly graded and not yet in the system. As a buyer, treat a cert number that doesn't look up as a problem first.
Step two: check every field
Compare what you looked up against the card in hand, field by field: card name, year, set, card number (like 025/165), language, and grade. Any mismatch isn't a minor discrepancy. It's a problem.
There are three common ways to fake this. First, a real slab and real label with the card swapped: someone opens the slab, puts in a worse or fake card, and reseals it. Second, a fake label on a fake slab, the whole thing made from scratch. Third, a fake label printed with someone else's cert number. Looking that up on PSA's site does return a real card, but the name or card number won't match what you're holding.
Step three: check the slab and label themselves
PSA slabs are ultrasonically sealed. In normal condition, all four edges are even, clear, and the top and bottom halves line up perfectly. Signs a slab has been opened include cloudy or hazy edges, glue residue, one side lifted or misaligned, or debris inside the case.
Look closely at the label's printing. A real label has consistent fonts, sharp lines, and no blurring. Newer labels also carry a holographic security pattern you can see shift under light. If a label looks crooked, uses the wrong font, or the colors seem off, be suspicious.
Check the Population Report too
PSA's Population Report shows how many copies of a card exist at each grade. If only a handful of PSA 10s exist worldwide for a card, but you see a bunch for sale at once, suspect a copied cert number first.
The Population Report is also one input for judging price, which our Pokémon card pricing guide covers.
What to check when you see a graded card on unravel
Every graded card on a prize page shows an actual front and back photo of that specific slab, not a catalog image. You can read the cert number right off the label in the photo and look it up on PSA's site before you draw. Daily Draw bounty cards also list their cert numbers in the description.
Once you draw it, the card goes into your vault, and when you request shipping, it's that exact slab from the prize page, never swapped for another copy of the same card. The Terms of Service are explicit on this: for cards graded by a third-party grading company, the grade and slab from that company govern; market price and grade are for reference only.
Three things to do within 7 days of receiving a card
First, record video while you open the package, one continuous shot from the outer box to taking the card out. Second, check the cert number on the slab against the prize page and your vault record, then look it up on PSA's site again. Third, check the slab for any cracks or scratches from shipping.
If anything doesn't match or is damaged, contact support within 7 days of receiving it and include the video and photos. Past that window, or if it can't be confirmed the issue existed before delivery, it's harder to resolve.
A grade isn't the same as authenticity
The difference between a PSA 9 and a PSA 10 is condition, not authenticity. A real PSA 9 is still a real card. A PSA 10 whose cert number doesn't look up is worthless no matter how high the grade is. Verify authenticity first, then talk about whether the grade is worth it.
You shouldn't crack a slab open just to look at the card. Opening it gives up the grading. The card goes back to being raw, and the slab and label can't be reused.
Frequently asked questions
What if a PSA cert number doesn't look up?
First double check you typed the number correctly and look it up again. If it still doesn't come up, treat the card as a problem and don't pay. If you already bought it, take it up with the seller.
Does no QR code on the label mean it's fake?
Not necessarily. Older labels never had a QR code to begin with. Without one, just type the cert number into PSA's site manually. If it comes up and the details match, you're fine.
Can I open a PSA slab?
You can, but doing so voids the grading. The card goes back to being raw, and the slab and label can't be reused. unravel never opens slabs when shipping; what you receive is the fully sealed graded card.
Who verifies the graded cards on unravel?
The grade comes from PSA, and we store and ship the card exactly as PSA sealed it. The prize page shows an actual photo of that slab with the cert number visible, so you can look it up on PSA's site yourself.
What if I see two cards online with the same cert number?
Each cert number belongs to exactly one slab; they never repeat. If you see two cards with the same one, at least one is fake. Compare both against the card name, card number, and grade on PSA's site, and whichever one doesn't match is the fake.
How do I check BGS or CGC graded cards?
Each grading company has its own lookup page on its site. The method is the same: enter the number on the label and compare the card name, card number, and grade.