Fake PSA Slabs: What I Actually Think (Costs, Scams, and Market Impact)
Good afternoon, good evening, good y’all—whatever it is where you are. I’m NotSportsCards. Like/subscribe helps small channels. Today I’m talking about something that’s been bouncing around the hobby: fake PSA slabs. You may have seen other content; I’m coming at it from a different angle: how easy/expensive it is to fake labels or slabs, and how that affects what you buy and what your cards are worth.
What “Fake” Means (The Flavors You Actually See)
- Everything fake: counterfeit card in a counterfeit slab with a fake label.
- Fake slab + real card/label: plastic is wrong, contents are legit.
- Real label, wrong card: crack a real 10, put an 8 in with the 10’s label, then re-grade the original 10. This is the hardest to stop.
What Sparked This (and Why the Deep-Dive Charts Aren’t Enough)
Yes, there are videos about “proxy” cards in fake slabs (the seller even admits they’re fake). That’s the benign end—problems start when the next buyer doesn’t know. And there are Reddit breakdowns (fonts, watermarks, weld corners, transparent vs. opaque). Useful—but it’s a lot to analyze from a few listing photos, and impossible if you’re not holding the slab.
How Feasible Is It to Fake? (Costs & Gear—My Thought Experiment)
I sanity-checked costs by asking what it would take to spin up a “PSA-level” slab environment—labels, sonic welding, etc. You don’t need sci-fi gear. Sonic welders can be in the ~$1,500–$3,000 range. A barebones “start a grading company” setup could be on the order of ~$25k (or less if your scam is just swapping labels/cards). That’s not a recommendation—it’s a reality check on barriers to entry.
“Smart” vs. “Dumb” Scammers
Sloppy glue jobs get caught. What scares me more is the competent version: proper welding, real labels reused, convincing plastics. Historically, counterfeit issues aren’t new (remember other grading companies had problems, too). No one in the hobby actually wins when this spreads—not PSA, not CGC, not collectors—only scammers.
Old Labels Are Softer Targets
Earlier-gen labels/slabs are easier to fake than current ones. That’s a permanent cat-and-mouse: as tech improves, older tech gets easier to mimic. If a $100 slab becomes a $2,000 slab over time, the incentive to mess with it grows. That’s where reholdering starts to make sense on bigger cards.
Where Would Scammers Aim?
Logic says they chase high-value stuff (MJ rookies, high-end Pokémon), but there’s also a “smaller bills” strategy: mid-tier cards done in volume attract less attention per transaction. If even a hypothetical 5% of slabs were fake, that would change buyer behavior and pricing dynamics fast.
Market Effects You’ll Actually Feel
- Buying risk: you don’t want to be the one stuck with a bad slab. Photo-match when possible.
- Owner risk: as values appreciate, older holders get side-eyed—reholdering can restore confidence, but it costs.
- Barrier to entry: newcomers (dealers or grading startups) face more skepticism; established players benefit from trust.
Where You Buy Matters
- Online (eBay, major houses): returns, buyer protection, and authenticity steps help. A publicly traded platform + credit card protection beats a random cash deal.
- LCS: fixed footprint & reputation = less incentive to grift. Ask to inspect under strong light—good shops don’t flinch.
- Card shows: transient risk. Reputable long-time dealers are safer; “weekend only, cash only” is where I get extra cautious.
About “Guarantees” (Reality Check)
Grading company guarantees generally cover authentic slabs/cards and misgrades—not counterfeit slabs. Marketplaces with protection programs may still help if something’s wrong. Know what your venue actually backs.
My Buy Rules (From the Video)
- Check sold comps (30–90 days), not asks.
- Cert lookup + photo match (print snow, centering, corner tells).
- Inspect label details (fonts/spacing/holo) and seams/edges (heat/clouding).
- Use your own light in person; ask for better photos online.
- Prefer venues with returns/protections.
- Consider reholdering appreciated cards with old labels.
- Gut check: if you’re talking yourself into it—pass.
Should You Be Worried?
It depends on your exposure. If you’ve got $100k in slabs and your net worth is $110k, be vigilant. If your collection is small relative to your finances, keep perspective. The answer isn’t black-and-white—it’s situational.
Buy with your eyes. A label isn’t a miracle—if a card looks like it lost a bar fight, the number on top won’t save it. Bigger the card, the more I worry. Be cautious, not paranoid.
Watch the Episode
TL;DR
Fake slabs aren’t new and they’re not going away. Focus on proof (photos, provenance), use venue protections, and consider reholdering older labels on big cards. Break wax for fun; buy singles with discipline.
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