To check a PSA Pokémon card before buying online, look up its certification number on PSA’s official website, compare the record with the listing and photographs, and inspect the card and holder together. A matching number is a useful check, but it is not proof that the item being offered is genuine.
This guide gives UK collectors a practical way to review a graded-card listing, ask better questions and recognise when more information is needed before ordering.
1. Identify the exact card and version
Start with the details you want to collect: the Pokémon, set, card number, language and grade. Similar artwork or a familiar character name is not enough to identify a particular release.
For example, our Leafeon ex 200/187 Terastal Festival ex PSA 10 listing describes a Japanese card. Our Pikachu 160/159 Crown Zenith PSA 10 listing describes an English card. These details matter if you are building a collection around a particular set or language.
Check that the title, description, visible card and grading label agree. Labels can use abbreviations, so ask about anything you cannot reconcile rather than guessing.
2. Check the PSA certification number yourself
Read the certification number from a clear photograph of the label and enter it into PSA’s official Cert Verification tool. Compare the returned card identity and grade with the item advertised. You can also use the PSA app to search a certificate or scan a label, as explained in PSA’s official FAQ.
A working certificate lookup does not authenticate the seller’s physical item. PSA warns that genuine certification numbers can be copied onto counterfeit inserts, and that checking its database does not eliminate that risk.
Treat the lookup as one part of the decision. If the result is missing, conflicting or unclear, pause and request clarification.
3. Compare clear photographs of both sides
Look for photographs of the actual card and slab offered for sale. A generic product image cannot show the condition of an individual holder or confirm which certificate you will receive.
Review the label, front, back, corners and edges of the holder. Ask for another angle if glare obscures an area. Visible cracks, damage or an unusual-looking seam deserve an explanation; a photo alone cannot establish what caused them.
If PSA’s certificate record includes images, compare them with the seller’s photographs. Use the combination of card details, artwork and visible features rather than relying only on the number. Where certificate images are unavailable, request clear seller photos instead of treating their absence as a verdict on authenticity.
4. Understand what the grade tells you
PSA’s card grade and the present condition of its plastic holder are separate things to review. A high grade does not describe whether the slab now has distracting scratches or damage.
PSA calls its highest numerical card grade Gem Mint 10. Its published grading standards describe very high standards for corners, focus, gloss and centring, while allowing a minor printing imperfection when it does not detract from overall appearance. A 10 therefore should not be read as a promise of absolute visual perfection.
Choose a copy whose presentation you like. The label is useful information, but you will still be looking at the card in your collection.
5. Review the seller and the whole order
Before paying, check whether the description clearly states the language, grade and exact item supplied. Read the delivery and returns information, confirm the total at checkout and make sure you know how to contact the seller.
A helpful question is specific: “Can you send a close-up of the slab’s top-right corner?” is easier to answer than “Is everything perfect?” Keep a copy of the listing and any replies so you can compare the delivered item with what was described.
A seller’s willingness to provide information can help you assess the purchase, but it does not replace the card and certificate checks. If key details remain unresolved, there is no need to rush into the order.
6. Check the card again when it arrives
Compare the delivered slab with the listing photographs, check the certification number again and inspect the packaging and holder for damage. Keep the packaging and take clear photographs if anything differs from the description.
Contact the seller promptly about a problem. Do not open the holder or try to repair it while seeking help: keeping the item as received preserves the evidence of its condition.
Your quick checklist before buying
- Match the card, set, number, language and grade.
- Check the certificate on PSA’s own website.
- Compare actual front and back photographs.
- Review the slab as well as the card.
- Read the delivery, returns and contact information.
- Ask about anything unclear before ordering.
Ready to browse? Explore TempaTCG’s graded Pokémon cards and use this checklist alongside each listing’s photographs and details.