Fresh off authenticating more than 5 million cards through its Authenticity Guarantee program, eBay is dropping the price threshold from $250 to $200 in the coming weeks. This expanded price tier will apply to both raw and graded cards, and buyers can expect to see the blue checkmark appear on eligible cards listed on the platform as early as this week.
How Authenticity Guarantee Works
The Authenticity Guarantee has been a game-changer for card buyers, especially collectors chasing higher-value raw cards who refuse to risk a fake. Anyone who has been burned by a realistic-looking forgery knows the sting of deceit, so eBay created the Authenticity Guarantee to stop that pain and restore trust.
The program works by sending cards to an authentication facility where PSA takes each card through a multi-point inspection, checking the overall condition against the listing description to not only ensure accuracy but also confirm that each card is authentic. Any graded or ungraded card with a blue checkmark on the listing, like the 1915 Cracker JackJoe Jackson card above, will go through the authentication process.
For graded cards, PSA experts inspect every case and label to ensure authenticity, but no regrading takes place. Once a card has passed inspection and its authenticity is confirmed, the item is shipped to the buyer in discreet packaging with a signature confirmation required.
To be eligible for the Authenticity Guarantee blue checkmark, each individual trading card must be priced at $200 or more and have two or more photos in the listing.
The Authenticity Guarantee program also expands well beyond sports and TCG cards. Other categories include sneakers, watches, jewelry, streetwear, and even handbags.
Authenticity Guarantee Dates Back to 2022
The online auction giant first introduced Authenticity Guarantee (AG) as a service for high-value trading cards back in January 2022. At that time, only single ungraded sports, TCG, and non-sports cards that sold for $750 or more were eligible. However, within a few weeks, the company quietly reduced the threshold from $750 to $500 and continued to lower the threshold until it settled on $250, where it remained for several years until this latest reduction.
Could this latest reduction be the first step toward expanding the Authenticity Guarantee to even more cards?
It’s difficult to imagine the size and scale of providing this important service for cards at an even lower price point, but with the recent announcement of PSA Plano, perhaps there will be further room for lower-tiered cards available for authentication.
Conor is a leading sports collectibles writer and market analyst with more than 100 published articles covering sports cards, Pokémon, auctions, investing trends, and hobby culture. A lifelong collector who entered the hobby in the early 1990s, Conor’s expertise centers on vintage and modern basketball cards, basketball icons, and iconic Boston sports memorabilia tied to legends like Larry Bird, Tom Brady, and David Ortiz.
