PSA does not offer a separate Pokémon slab grade-guarantee claim program; its general guarantee covers eligible PSA-encapsulated cards. A current owner may submit a claim only if PSA finds the card overgraded or counterfeit and its certification was active when the owner bought it. A slab is a graded card sealed inside a certification company's holder. The key questions are who submitted the card originally, how you acquired it, whether the holder remains intact, and what evidence you retained.
Table of Contents
- Does the guarantee cover your slab?
- Are you an eligible owner?
- What conditions defeat a claim?
- What should you prepare before submission?
- What remedy could PSA provide?
Does the guarantee cover your slab?
The guarantee applies to cards encapsulated by PSA, including Pokémon cards. It does not cover cards graded by another company, even if that company uses a similar holder or grading scale, according to PSA's current guarantee terms.
PSA must determine that the card is counterfeit or deserves a lower grade. A disagreement with the label, an unattractive card, or a disappointing resale offer does not establish eligibility by itself. Check these points before filing:.
- The card remains inside its original PSA holder.
- You are the current owner.
- The certification number was active in PSA Cert Lookup when you purchased it.
- You can document the purchase.
- Your concern involves authenticity or an overstated grade, not an excluded form of damage.
Are you an eligible owner?
The original submitter cannot use the guarantee. PSA also excludes anyone pursuing a claim for that submitter's benefit and may conduct a background check to investigate the relationship. A claimant must attest that the slab came from an arm's-length purchase.
In practical terms, the transaction must be a genuine purchase rather than an arrangement designed to let an ineligible person claim indirectly. You must also attest that you relied on the active PSA certification and suffered a genuine injury. These ownership and purchase conditions are part of PSA's stated claimant requirements, so confirm that you can make each statement accurately before opening a request.
What conditions defeat a claim?
Removing the card from its holder ends guarantee coverage. A tampered holder or label is also excluded, so do not crack, repair, reseal, or alter the slab while considering a claim. PSA further excludes damage caused by rough handling, improper storage, and environmental conditions.
Manufacturer defects fall outside the guarantee as well, even when deterioration becomes visible after encapsulation. One Pokémon-specific warning appears within those exclusions. PSA identifies chipping or peeling on 2021 Pokémon Celebrations Ultra-Premium Collection Metal Cards as excluded manufacturer deterioration in its guarantee terms.
What should you prepare before submission?
Start through PSA's Support Form and Customer Request Center. Prepare the certification number, proof of purchase, and a clear explanation of why you believe the card is counterfeit or overgraded.
Before submitting: A review does not guarantee payment. If PSA upholds the original grade and authenticity, it returns the slab and charges a $25 review fee plus return postage.
- Confirm the certification's current status and preserve any record showing it was active when you bought the card.
- Locate the receipt, invoice, marketplace record, or other proof of purchase.
- Photograph the slab and label without opening or altering the holder.
- Separate grading or authenticity concerns from handling, storage, environmental, and manufacturing damage.
- Confirm that you were not the original submitter and are not acting for that person's benefit.
What remedy could PSA provide?
For an eligible claim, PSA may purchase the card at the market value PSA determines. If an authentic card receives a lower grade, PSA may instead return it with the revised grade and refund the difference in value. Proof of purchase is required for valuation, but the remedy is not automatically the amount you paid or an asking price you found elsewhere.
PSA determines market value under its terms. Card compensation is capped at $250,000 per card and $500,000 per person over a lifetime. PSA may aggregate claims involving related people toward that lifetime limit, as explained in the compensation provisions. Retain purchase records and verify certification status before buying any PSA slab you may later need to claim against.
