Start with the photograph
For single graded cards, the images on our product pages are of the specific slab that will be packed and sent to you. That matters because two copies of the same card in the same grade are not identical: centering, print lines and surface gloss differ. If a listing uses a representative image rather than the exact item — sealed product, for example — the product page states it.
Zoom in before buying. You should be able to read the grading company's name, the card name and set, the grade, and the certification number without guessing.
Reading a PSA, CGC or BGS label
- Grading company. PSA, CGC, BGS and SGC each use their own holder and label design. The company printed on the label is the company that graded it.
- Card identity. Year, set, card name and card number should match the listing title exactly. A mismatch is a question to ask, not a detail to ignore.
- Grade and qualifiers. A numeric grade may carry a qualifier such as OC (off-centre) or MK (mark). We list the grade and any qualifier as printed.
- Certification number. The unique number that ties the slab to the grader's public record. This is the piece you verify.
Verifying the certification number
Each major grader publishes a free lookup for its own certificates:
- PSA — certificate verification at psacard.com/cert
- CGC Cards — certificate lookup at cgccards.com/certlookup
- Beckett (BGS) — report lookup at beckett.com/grading/card-lookup
Enter the number from the label and compare the returned record with the listing. Card name, set, year and grade should all agree. Verification is something you can do before you pay, from any device, without contacting us.
Condition disclosure
We describe cards by what the holder says and what the photographs show. We do not upgrade a grade in the description, estimate what a card "would grade" elsewhere, or present a raw card as graded. Where a slab has visible wear, scuffing on the case or a qualifier, that is disclosed in the listing rather than hidden by lighting.
Questions worth asking before you buy
- Can I see the back of the slab as well as the front?
- Is the certification number in the photograph the card I will receive?
- Does the label carry any qualifier?
- How is the slab packed for transit?
- What are the delivery and returns terms for my order?
Send those to support@blackjadewolf.com and a person who handles the cards will answer.
Packaging, delivery and returns
Graded slabs are sleeved, immobilised with padding and shipped in a rigid outer carton. You receive an order confirmation email when the order is placed and a fulfilment email when it ships. The delivery and returns terms that apply to your order are the ones published on our shipping policy and refund policy pages.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I check a PSA certification number?
- Read the number printed on the PSA label, then enter it in PSA's own certificate verification lookup on psacard.com. The record returned should match the card name, set, year and grade shown in the listing photograph. CGC and BGS both publish equivalent lookups for their own certification numbers.
- What does exact-card photography mean?
- It means the photograph on the product page is of the specific slab you will receive, including its label and certification number, rather than a stock or catalogue image of another copy of the same card. Where a listing uses a representative image instead, the page says so.
- Can a graded slab be counterfeit?
- Counterfeit holders exist, which is why the certification number matters more than the label itself. A genuine slab's number resolves in the grading company's public database to the same card, set and grade you are being shown. If a seller will not provide a number you can look up, treat that as a reason to stop.
- What should I ask a seller before buying a graded card?
- Ask for the certification number, a photograph of the actual slab front and back, and confirmation of the grade and any qualifier printed on the label. For higher-value cards it is reasonable to ask about centering and surface detail that photographs may not show clearly.