How to Look Up a CGC Cert Number and Check What It Tells You

What a cert look up is

Every comic sealed by CGC carries a certification number on its label. A cert look up takes that number to the grader's online verification tool, which returns the record CGC holds for it. The point is to confirm that the number belongs to the book you are looking at and that the details on the label match the details on file.

It is the fastest check available on a slabbed comic, and it takes a minute. It is not the whole check, and the sections below explain what it can and cannot tell you.

Step 1: Find the cert number

The cert number is printed on the label at the top of the holder. Read it from the slab itself, not from a listing, a photo caption or a message from the seller.

Photographs make this easy to get wrong, so if you are buying online:

• Ask for a sharp, straight-on photo of the full label, front and back of the slab.
• Copy the number from the photo digit by digit rather than relying on a typed number in the description.
• If the seller will not show the label clearly, treat that as information.

Step 2: Enter it in the grader's verification tool

Go to CGC's website and use its certification verification tool. Type the number exactly as printed. For a CBCS slab, use CBCS's own tool instead, since it is a separate company with its own records.

Type the address into your browser yourself rather than following a link sent by a seller. A lookalike page that always returns a clean result is an easy trick for a dishonest seller to set up.

Step 3: Compare the record to the slab

A returned record is only useful if you compare it against the label line by line. Check:

1. Title and issue number. The record should name the same series and issue as the label.
2. Grade. The numeric grade on the record should equal the grade on the label.
3. Page quality. CGC records the page quality of the book. It should agree with the label.
4. Restoration or other notes. Anything flagged on the label, including restoration, should appear in the record, and the reverse.
5. Label type. The label style and any added notes should be consistent with what the record shows.

One mismatch is enough to stop and investigate. Do not assume it is a typing error on the seller's part.

What a successful look up does not prove

A matching record shows that a certification number exists and describes a particular book. It does not show that the book in front of you is that book. Cert numbers have been copied from genuine slabs onto other holders, which is why the physical object still needs inspecting.

Beyond the number, look at the holder:

• The case should be sealed with no gaps, cracks or signs of having been opened and resealed.
• The label should sit flat and look original to the holder.
• The book inside should match its description: cover image, issue, and visible condition consistent with the stated grade.
• Any other markings on the case should make sense.

If anything looks wrong, a grading company can be contacted with the cert number to ask about the record before you buy.

Using the record when you are buying

Treat the look up as one of three checks, along with inspecting the holder and checking the price.

• Before paying. Run the number and compare it to the label and the listing. If you are buying from a stranger, do it before any money moves.
• At delivery. Check the slab arrived intact and the record still matches. A cracked case is worth noting the moment you open the package; see how to ship a graded comic safely for how it should be packed.
• Before you resell. Confirm the number and the record yourself, so your listing is accurate.

For background on what the label and holder are, see What is a CGC graded comic?.

What a look up does not tell you about price

The record describes the book and its grade. It carries no valuation. Price depends on the grade, the page quality, the label type and how scarce and in demand the issue is, and it is checked against recent sold prices for the same issue at the same grade from auction houses and marketplaces. Two guides cover that in detail: What Sets the Price of a CGC Graded Comic (and Where to Check It) and How CGC Grade, Page Quality and Label Set the Price of a Slabbed Comic.

When a look up does not match

If the number returns no record, or the record disagrees with the label, do not buy, and do not rationalise it. Possible causes include a mistyped number, a photo that has been edited, a label that does not belong to that holder, or a counterfeit slab. You cannot tell which from the number alone.

What to do:

• Re-enter the number carefully, checking each digit against the photo.
• Ask the seller for more photos of the label and holder.
• Walk away if the answers are vague or the seller pushes you to hurry.
• If you already own the slab, contact the grading company with the cert number and describe the discrepancy.

If you own a raw comic

A cert number only exists once a book has been graded. If you have an ungraded comic and want a record of its grade, a grading submission is the route, and it can be sent to CGC or CBCS. Once graded, the book gets a cert number you can look up the same way. If you would like a professional opinion on a collection first, there is an appraisal and valuation service.

To browse slabbed books, see the graded comics in the store, or explore more collector guides.