Prohibited & Restricted Items

How to read this list

This policy is part of the Terms of Service. “Prohibited” items may never be listed. “Restricted” items may be listed only if you meet the stated conditions. This list is not exhaustive — SwapSlabs may remove any listing that is unlawful, misleading, unsafe, or outside the marketplace's scope, and may update this list as the marketplace grows.

Prohibited — never allowed

• •Counterfeit, reproduction, bootleg, fake, or “proxy” cards, and anything represented as authentic that is not
• •Cards in counterfeit, tampered, resealed, or swapped grading slabs, and fake or altered grading labels or certification numbers
• •Altered, trimmed, recolored, re-glossed, restored, or repaired cards not clearly and prominently disclosed as altered (see Restricted)
• •Cards misrepresented as to grade, grading company, edition, print run, or condition
• •Stolen cards, cards obtained by fraud or deception, and cards you do not own or are not authorized to sell or trade
• •Cards whose sale or trade is illegal in your or the other member's jurisdiction, or that infringe intellectual-property or publicity rights
• •Non-card items sold on their own — memorabilia, supplies, sealed wax boxes and packs, coins, stamps, and figures
• •Digital items, NFTs, redemption codes, and services
• •Event tickets and other nonrefundable goods — out of scope for this version of the marketplace
• •Anything that facilitates fraud, money laundering, or sanctions evasion

Restricted — allowed only under conditions

• •Altered, trimmed, or restored cards — allowed only if the alteration is disclosed prominently in the title and description and shown in photos, and the card is priced accordingly
• •Damaged or cracked slabs — allowed only if the damage is disclosed and photographed; do not describe the grade as if the holder were intact
• •Autographed or memorabilia cards — the autograph or relic must be either manufacturer-certified (state the brand) or sold explicitly as “not authenticated,” with no claim it is genuine
• •Custom or art cards — allowed only if clearly labeled as custom/fan-made, not affiliated with any league or game publisher, and not passed off as official
• •Bulk lots and collections — allowed if the description lists what is included and the condition range, and photos are representative
• •Reprints and official reissues — allowed only if clearly identified as a reprint or reissue, not the original
• •High-value cards over $1,000 — allowed, but listing and transacting require identity verification, and shipment requires a signature

Grading and authentication rules

State the grading company and grade exactly as they appear on the slab. Do not estimate a grade for a raw card as if it were graded. If you enter a certification number, it must match the card in hand; SwapSlabs may verify it and will remove listings where the cert does not match. A “Cert-verified” badge reflects a database match at listing time and is not a guarantee by SwapSlabs.

Consequences of violations

SwapSlabs removes offending listings and may warn, limit, suspend, or ban the account. A member who ships a counterfeit or knowingly misrepresented card is charged the full item value plus an authentication and handling premium, is suspended, and is referred to law-enforcement authorities, as described in the Guarantee at /guarantee.

Reporting a listing

Use the report control on the listing, or email support@swapslabs.example. For counterfeit and intellectual-property reports, follow the Intellectual Property / DMCA Policy at /ip-policy.