Fake slabs

A fake slab is a graded card in a plastic holder that is not genuine, or in which the card, the label or the holder has been counterfeited or swapped. Slabs give the impression that an independent company has assessed the card, which is precisely why they are a target for fraudsters. Genuine-looking slabs get faked, and genuine slabs can also contain a different card than the label describes.

Forms of forgery

• Entirely fake slab: holder, label and card are all copies.
• Fake card in a genuine slab: someone opens a real holder and swaps the contents, or makes a holder that looks similar.
• Copied label: a label with a real certificate number is placed on a different card.
• Altered grade or text: a genuine label has been tampered with, or a label has been reprinted.

There are also genuine slabs that have been opened and closed again, see reholder.

How a slab is checked

All the large companies, such as PSA, Beckett and CGC, have an online certificate lookup where you enter the number on the label and get details about the card and grade. This is the first step:

1. Look up the certificate number with the company and compare what it says with the label: card name, set, year, number and grade.
2. Examine the holder: the quality of the plastic, the welds or seams, and the details of the label. Compare with a genuine example from the same period, since the companies have changed their design over time.
3. Check that the card in the holder is the card described, and that the seller's photos show the same slab as the number.
4. Look for signs that the holder has been opened or glued.

Some companies show an image of the card in the database, which makes comparison easier. A certificate number that exists is still not proof in itself, since the number can be used on a copy.

Warning signs

• A price far below what comparable graded cards sell for.
• Photos that are blurry, taken from another listing, or that do not show the label's number.
• Sellers who avoid giving the certificate number or push for a quick deal.
• Discrepancies between the label and the database.

What can be done

Trade with sellers with a good track record and use the platform's buyer protection. If you believe a slab is fake, you can contact the company that supposedly graded it, and the platform. General patterns in dishonest trading are described in scams when trading, and the card itself in counterfeit cards. How grading works is covered in card grading. The companies' checks and routines can change, so always use their own pages.