How to Verify a Graded Card's Cert Number (PSA, CGC, SGC, BGS, TAG)

Every slab from a major grader has a certification number on the label. Looking it up on the grader's own site is free and takes about a minute. Do it before you buy any graded card, online or at a show.

Official lookup pages

Grader	Where to check
PSA	psacard.com/cert
CGC Cards	cgccards.com/certlookup
SGC	gosgc.com/cert-code-lookup
Beckett (BGS)	beckett.com/grading/card-lookup
TAG	taggrading.com/pages/cert-search

Type the number yourself from the label or a clear photo of it. Don't trust a lookup link or QR code a seller sends you.

What to compare

Does the cert exist? No result means stop.
Is it the same card? Match the year, set, card number, player and any parallel or variation. A real cert number reused on a fake slab is a common trick, so a result alone doesn't prove anything (PreGradeCards).
Is it the same grade? A label that shows a higher grade than the grader's record is a red flag.
Do the images match? If the grader shows scans of the card, compare centering, print marks and corners with the seller's photos.

What a lookup can't catch

A real slab that has been opened and resealed with a different card inside. Check the case edges for gaps, glue or tool marks.
A good copy of a real label. Compare the font, hologram and print sharpness with a known-genuine slab of the same era.
A price far below recent sold listings. Treat that as a warning on its own.

Beckett note (October 2026)

Beckett's sites went offline September 9, 2026. Beckett says it brought back BGS cert lookup, accounts, the online submission center and pop reports on October 15. Its price guide and marketplace were still offline (CardGrade, Oct 16). If you bought a BGS slab during the outage, look it up now.

More: checklist for buying cards on eBay · grading terms explained · how to ship graded slabs

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