Editorial Policy

TradingCard.news exists to give the hobby clear, accurate, evidence-led reporting. This policy is the spine of how we work.

Evidence and sourcing

We prioritise primary sources: manufacturers for releases, grading services for standards and population data, auction houses and marketplaces for realised prices. Long-running price-history platforms support a claim but never replace a primary sold comp. Forums and social media are used for discovery and sentiment only, never as the source for a value or authenticity claim.

Valuation discipline

Every valuation claim is tied to a dated, sourced sold comp or a population-report citation. We always state the grade and the venue. For auction results we include the buyer's premium, not just the hammer price. We never present an asking price as a sold price. A single low-volume sale is not declared a market or a record without saying so explicitly.

Grading and authentication neutrality

We cover PSA, BGS, CGC, SGC and the authentication services without favour and without a financial stake in any of them. We do not treat a slab grade as beyond dispute, and we report the conflicts of interest that exist in grade-and-sell ecosystems.

Reader protection

We distinguish original, reprint, altered and counterfeit on every relevant claim. We mark affiliate and commercial interest plainly. We flag scam patterns, trimmed cards, fake autographs, resealed or searched packs, rather than amplify hype that puts readers' money at risk.

Independence

Editorial decisions are made on journalistic merit. Advertisers, sponsors, manufacturers, graders and marketplaces do not influence our coverage. Sponsored content is always clearly labelled and kept separate from editorial.

Not financial advice

We report the trading-card market. We do not provide investment advice or recommend that anyone buy, sell or hold any item. The hobby carries real financial risk and prices can fall as well as rise.