What you need to know

Large selection

Shop eligible cards and collectibles $250+ from our ever-expanding list of inventory—including sports trading cards, collectible card games, and more.

Trading card experts

Our team of experts at CGC Cards™ and PSA brings deep industry knowledge to make sure your item is the real deal.

Complete confidence

With Authenticity Guarantee, every detail is inspected so you can build your collection with confidence.

People and process

Meet the experts

Meet the experts

CGC Cards™ is part of the Certified Collectibles Group, the world’s leading provider of expert, impartial, and tech-enabled services that add value and liquidity to collectibles. Since 1987, the CCG companies have certified more than 70 million collectibles. We also partner with Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), which is the largest trading card authentication and grading company in the world. Since its inception in 1991, PSA has certified over 50 million cards and collectibles.

See the process

How it works

  • 1

    Make your purchase

    Eligible items will have the Authenticity Guarantee checkmark in the listing and will automatically go through the authentication process once purchased.
  • 2

    It’s authenticated

    The seller ships your card to the authentication facility, where ungraded cards are inspected by CGC Cards™, and graded cards have their case and label authenticated by a PSA authenticator. No regrading is performed.
  • 3

    Shipped with care

    Once authenticated, your item is shipped to you safely and discreetly, with signature confirmation required.
Card returns

Card returns

Before purchasing, check the seller’s return policy. If the seller doesn’t accept returns, the sale is considered final. If the seller has a timeframe for returns, you must open the return within that timeframe. In the unlikely event that your card is damaged in transit, you can open a return request on a final sale card so long as you do so within three days of receiving the card. Please note that items shipping internationally to the U.S. are ineligible for returns.

What is Authenticity Guarantee?

eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee is a service designed to help you shop with confidence. Professional authenticators physically inspect all eligible items before shipping to the buyer.

How does Authenticity Guarantee work?

It’s easy! Browse and shop eBay’s listings with the blue “Authenticity Guarantee” badge. When an eligible item is purchased, the seller ships the item directly to the authentication facility. There, the item goes through a meticulous inspection process. Once authenticated, the item is shipped to you via tracked shipping with a signature required for cards over $750. Please note, there is no grading or re-grading in this process. Our authenticators verify that the raw card or sealed plastic holder is authentic to ensure you receive exactly what you ordered.

What items are eligible for Authenticity Guarantee?

In the US, Authenticity Guarantee is available for individual sports trading cards, collectible card games, autograph, and relic cards, and non‑sports trading cards $250 and above for ungraded cards, and $250 and above for autograph, relic, and other graded cards. Only cards graded by the following graders will be accepted: Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA); Sportscard Guaranty Corporation (SGC); Certified Collectibles Group's affiliates, CGC Cards; and Beckett Grading Services (BGS). Sets, lots, kits, decks, boxes, packs, art cards, and raw redemption cards are not eligible at this time. Your single card must be listed in the correct corresponding category to qualify for Authenticity Guarantee:

  • CCG=183454
    • Toys & Hobbies>Collectible Card Games>CCG Individual Cards
  • NSTC=183050
    • Collectibles>Non-Sport Trading Cards>Trading Card Singles
  • STC=261328
    • Sports Mem, Cards & Fan Shop>Sports Trading Cards>Trading Card Singles

Buyers must be located in the US and sellers must be located in the US or Canada. U.S. territory locations (incl. Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) and U.S. Armed forces postal locations are not currently covered. Listings that offer only local pickup or items shipped to P.O. Boxes will not be eligible for Authenticity Guarantee. If the seller gifts a card or other item(s) free of charge to the buyer, the bonus card will not be eligible for Authenticity Guarantee and may be disposed of.

Will I be charged a fee for Authenticity Guarantee?

No. Through the Authenticity Guarantee service, eBay covers the cost of authentication and tracked shipping from the authentication facility to you for a limited time.

What happens at the authenticator?

After the authentication facility receives the card, the authenticator will first perform a multi-point inspection. For ungraded cards, this involves checking the corners, edges, surface and overall condition of the card to ensure it matches the listing description and is authentic. For graded cards, this involves inspecting the sealed plastic holder for signs of tampering and verifying that the case and label are authentic to the grader. Then they confirm the item is consistent with the listing title, images, and listing description. Finally, the card will be packaged in custom packaging with a tamper-proof sticker seal. The card also receives a QR code sticker detailing the process. Scan it with your mobile device to learn more about your card’s authentication details.

Who is authenticating the cards?

Leading industry experts at Certified Collectibles Group (CGC Cards) are authenticating raw cards. For graded cards, Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) is authenticating the sealed plastic holder, not the underlying card.

How long will the Authenticity Guarantee process take? How long until I receive my item?

After you purchase an eligible item, the seller is required to send the item to the authentication facility, where authenticators typically inspect the item within one to two business days of receipt. Once the inspection is complete, the item will be sent to you with tracked four-day shipping.

How can I track the progress of my purchase?

Tracking information is available on the Purchase History page, where you’ll be able to track the shipment of your order and see exactly where it is in the authentication process. As part of the Authenticity Guarantee service, you will also receive an order update email once your item goes through inspection. Please contact eBay directly for questions about your order.

Is signature confirmation required upon delivery?

Yes, it is required for cards $750 and above.

What if the item does not pass inspection?

If the authenticator cannot verify the item’s authenticity or if the item is not consistent with its listing, you will be issued a full refund to your original payment method. For PSA-graded cards specifically, if a plastic sealed holder is found to be fake or exhibit signs of tampering, PSA will deactivate its certificate and issue a notice to the seller.

Should I contact the authenticator directly if I have a question about my order?

Please reach out to eBay customer service regarding all questions about your order.

What should I do if I want to change or cancel my order?

You can request to cancel your order through the Purchase History page within an hour of purchase if the seller has not yet shipped the item. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate address changes at this time. Learn more about canceling your order here.

Where is my item shipping to, and why is it not my address?

Your card will first ship to the authentication facility. Once verified, the authenticator will send your card to the address entered at checkout.

What does final sale mean?

For trading cards that are eligible for Authenticity Guarantee, an item is considered final sale when the seller doesn’t offer returns or the return is requested outside the seller’s stated return window. Final sale items are not eligible for returns.

What do I do if my item doesn’t arrive?

You can report to eBay that your item hasn’t arrived. If you didn’t receive your item, you are covered under eBay Money Back Guarantee.

What do I do if my item arrives damaged?

Open a return request for “item arrives damaged.”

  • If the seller doesn’t offer returns, you can still request a return no later than three calendar days after the delivery date as stated in eBay Money Back Guarantee.
  • If the seller offers returns, you must request a return within the seller’s return window, as stated in the listing.

Can buyers return items purchased with Authenticity Guarantee?

Buyers can return an item if you accept returns, as stated in the listing, and the return takes place within your return window. If you do not accept returns, the item will be final sale and not eligible for returns unless the buyer files a return request within three calendar days of delivery as stated in the eBay Money Back Guarantee policy. Items shipping internationally to the U.S. are ineligible for returns under the Authenticity Guarantee program.

How does the return process work?

If the seller offers returns for the item you purchased, you will first send the returned item to the authentication facility. Within two business days of receiving the item, the authenticator will re-verify that the raw card or sealed plastic holder is authentic and matches the listing description. Also, the raw card or graded card must have the untampered Authenticity Guarantee sticker still attached to it to be eligible for a return. Once verified, the authenticator will ship the item to the seller, and a refund will be processed. The seller or buyer (as defined by the listing) is responsible for shipping costs to the authenticator, and eBay covers the shipping cost to the seller.

Why was the item sent back to me by the authenticator after I opened a return?

If the authenticator determines the returned item is not the same item, is not in the same condition, or that the Authenticity Guarantee sticker has been tampered with or removed, the item will be sent back to you, and the return is denied.

Can I choose not to have my item authenticated?

Not at this time.

Can I get my card graded during the Authenticity Guarantee process?

No, PSA and CGC Cards do not offer card grading or re-grading as part of the Authenticity Guarantee service.

Can I choose which authenticator my card goes to?

No. Raw cards will be sent to CGC Cards. Graded cards will be sent to PSA.

The Authenticity Guarantee service for Trading Cards (“Authenticity Guarantee” or “Authenticity Guarantee for Trading Cards”) makes third-party inspection and authentication services (“Services”) mandatory for certain items sold on eBay.com. These Authenticity Guarantee Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) apply to the Authenticity Guarantee service for Trading Cards and Eligible Items detailed below and sold or purchased on eBay.com, and set out the terms under which eBay offers you access to and use of the Authenticity Guarantee service for Trading Cards.

  1. Applicability of eBay User Agreement. The eBay.com User Agreement, eBay’s User Privacy Notice, and all policies posted on our sites (collectively, and as the same may be amended from time to time, “eBay’s Policies”) apply in addition to these Terms. In the event of a conflict or inconsistency between these Terms and eBay’s Policies, these Terms will control as to all matters that they explicitly address. For all matters not explicitly addressed by these Terms, eBay’s Policies will control.
  2. Applicability of eBay Money Back Guarantee (“eMBG”). For authenticated items, purchases are covered by eBay Money Back Guarantee when all other eligibility requirements are met and the item isn’t received, or the item arrives damaged, or the seller doesn’t fulfill their return policy. If the seller does not accept returns or the return is opened outside of the stated return window, the item is considered “final sale” and cannot be returned. In the unlikely event that your item is damaged in transit, you must open a return request within three (3) calendar days or if the seller offers returns, within the seller’s stated return window. Learn more about eBay Money Back Guarantee.
  3. Description of the Authenticity Guarantee Service. After the purchase of an Eligible Item (description in Section 5(a) below) on eBay.com, the item is shipped to a vetted third-party authentication partner (“Authentication Partner”) to carefully inspect the item for authenticity and accuracy against the item listing. Upon confirmation of the item by the Authentication Partner, it is properly packaged and securely shipped to the buyer. If the item’s authenticity cannot be verified or the item is significantly not as described, the item is returned to the seller and a refund is issued to the buyer.AUTHENTICITY GUARANTEE FOR TRADING CARDS DOES NOT INCLUDE GRADING SERVICES.If the item condition or any other aspect of the trading card does not match the listing, the trading card will be returned from the Authentication Partner to the seller, with the purchase canceled and payment price returned to the buyer. By listing for sale or purchasing an Eligible Item, you acknowledge and agree that the Eligible Item will be sent to the Authentication Partner to perform the Services. More information about the Authentication Partner and Services may be found here.
  4. Authenticity Guarantee Service Fees. The Services are provided at no cost to sellers and buyers for Eligible Items that are bought or sold on eBay.com; however, eBay reserves the right to institute, alter, or amend fees or costs associated with the Services at any time, at eBay’s sole discretion.
  5. Eligibility
    1. Item Eligibility. Only select listings on eBay.com are eligible for the Services. eBay reserves the right at any time, in its sole discretion, with or without notice to you, to alter or amend the eligibility requirements for Eligible Items, including, but not limited to category, and/or value of items and/or transactions.“Eligible Items” in the Trading Cards category must satisfy the following conditions:
      1. Category: Collectible Card Games, Sports Trading Cards, and Non-Sports Trading Cards
      2. Card Type: Single cards only
      3. Grading Type: Ungraded and graded cards
        1. Only cards graded by the following graders will be accepted: Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA); Sportscard Guaranty Corporation (SGC); Certified Collectibles Group's affiliates, CGC Trading Cards, Certified Sports Guaranty (CSG); and Beckett Grading Services (BGS).
      4. Price: Raw card or graded cards listed or sold at auction for $250 or more, exclusive of tax and shipping
    2. The following items are not eligible for Authenticity Guarantee:
      1. Items whose listings do not bear the Authenticity Guarantee blue checkmark badge
      2. Items listed in categories not named above
      3. Sets, lots, kits, decks, boxes, and packs of two or more cards
      4. Miscategorized items, e.g., other types of cards listed in eligible categories
      5. Graded autographed cards below $250. Ungraded autograph cards below $250.
      6. Art cards
      7. Raw redemption cards
      8. Additional cards that are gifted to buyers as a bonus and free of charge or used as packing materials
      9. Items purchased using an offline payment method
      10. Listings that offer local pickup
      11. Items shipped to P.O. Boxes
      12. Items shipped to or from unincorporated territories (incl. Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands)
    3. Ineligible items will not be authenticated. Furthermore, eBay may refuse to accept ineligible items (including, but not limited to, additional cards or items that are gifted to buyers as a bonus and free of charge) and is not responsible for storage, delivery, return, damage or loss of such items. ​eBay reserves the right to donate or otherwise dispose of such ineligible items in our sole and absolute discretion.
    4. Country Eligibility Authenticity Guarantee is only available for buyers and sellers in the United States and, with some restrictions, sellers in Canada. eBay reserves the right to expand or limit the countries eligible for Authenticity Guarantee or the Services at any time, in its sole discretion, with or without notice. If your item sells abroad, you will be bound by the User Agreement and policies, including any buyer protection policies, of the site on which the item is sold and, potentially, the consumer and other laws of the country of the relevant site. You will also be responsible for eBay's standard international fees that apply to these sales. If you do not want your item to be sold to buyers internationally, you can exclude countries or regions you don’t want to post to by updating your shipping settings.
  6. Party Roles
    1. Your Role as Seller. By listing an Eligible Item for sale on the eBay platform, you authorize its inspection by the Authentication Partner subsequent to its purchase. Upon purchase, you are required to ship the Eligible Item, with appropriate insurance coverage, to a facility located within the United States, as directed by eBay. Items must be sent to the facility individually unless part of a multi-item order. The cost of shipping to the Authentication Partner is not covered by eBay. You acknowledge and agree that if the Authentication Partner cannot verify an item’s authenticity, a refund will be issued to the buyer and you shall cooperate with removing the item from marketplace circulation.
    2. Your Role as Buyer. By purchasing an Eligible Item on the eBay platform, you acknowledge and agree to inspection and photographing of the Eligible Item by the Authentication Partner prior to your receipt of the Eligible Item. In addition, if a return is requested, you acknowledge and agree to ship the Eligible Item with appropriate insurance coverage to the Authentication Partner and to inspect the Eligible Item before the return is processed or a refund is issued. More information on returns under the Authenticity Guarantee can be found here.
    3. Circumvention of Buyer and Seller Requirements. If buyer or seller circumvent, violate or are found to be non-compliant with the Terms, eBay reserves the right to take immediate action such as, but not limited to, account restriction or suspension and/or the transfer of fees and costs associated with Authenticity Guarantee.
    4. Impact of Fraud Detection on Buyers and Sellers. You acknowledge and agree that if the Authentication Partner detects fraud or suspects that an item is counterfeit, the item will be removed from marketplace circulation and, if the card was graded by PSA, PSA will deactivate its certificate. If the slab is counterfeit or tampered with but the underlying card is authentic and has not been compromised, PSA may re-holder the card and create a new certification before sending the card to the buyer. In addition, eBay will work with the proper authorities as needed and reserves the right to confiscate or destroy any items determined to be counterfeit.
  7. Data Privacy eBay’s collection of personal information in connection with the Authenticity Guarantee service is governed by the User Privacy Notice that applies to your use of the eBay.com website or, as applicable, another eBay international site. In order for the Authentication Partner to provide the Services under Authenticity Guarantee, the order information, including, but not limited to: your name, address, email address, and telephone number, is provided to the Authentication Partner. By selling or purchasing an Eligible Item, you direct eBay to provide this order information to the Authentication Partner, who may disclose this information, however collected, to its affiliates, service providers, and other third parties (e.g., shipping carriers and revenue authorities) as necessary to perform the Services.
  8. Service Updates and Discontinuation. eBay has the right, but not the obligation, to alter, amend, replace, suspend temporarily, and/or discontinue permanently, the Authenticity Guarantee service, the name of Authenticity Guarantee, any of the Services provided, features, and/or functionality offered under Authenticity Guarantee, and/or the service providers used to provide any or all of the Services under Authenticity Guarantee, at any time, in its sole discretion, with or without notice to you.
  9. Lost, Damaged, or Items Not Delivered. Items that are lost or damaged during the Authenticity Guarantee process are protected by eBay’s Money Back Guarantee , subject to the eMBG guidelines. Items that are undeliverable or otherwise unclaimed after thirty (30) days will be considered abandoned and eBay reserves the right to donate or otherwise dispose of the item in our sole and absolute discretion.
  10. Amendment. eBay may amend these Terms, including applicable fees, at any time, by posting the amended terms on the eBay site. Except as stated elsewhere, all amended terms shall take effect immediately and automatically when posted on the eBay site.