When a card is graded it's sealed in a slab — but the slab does more than protect the card. Here's why "tamper-evident" matters.
Protection
The slab shields your card from handling, bending, moisture and light, holding it in the exact condition it was graded in. A graded card you bought five years ago should look the same today.
Tamper-evidence
Just as importantly, the slab is designed so it can't be opened and resealed without leaving signs. That's what stops someone swapping the card inside or altering the label. A grade you can't trust the seal on is a grade you can't trust at all.
The certificate link
Each slab carries a unique certificate number that ties the physical card to its grade and report in our registry. Together, the tamper-evident seal and the verifiable certificate are what make a grade meaningful — see how to verify one.
Why it matters when buying
A photo of a slab proves nothing on its own. A tamper-evident slab plus a certificate you can check is the difference between trusting a grade and hoping it's real.