CGC Prototype "Eligible for Review" tool is missing many publicly-sold cards

On 1/31/2025 CGC posted a statement responding to the allegations that many of the Prototype / Playtest cards were inauthentic:
https://www.cgccards.com/news/article/13730/

This post included instructions and a tool to look up certification numbers to determine if your card was eligible to send in.

For those unfamiliar with how CGC’s cert numbers work, their certs have 2 parts. The first part (seen before the hyphen, “1401012551-”) is the “batch” number, while the second part (after the hyphen, “-001”) is the sequential number of the card within its grading batch. If you combine these two numbers (1401012551-001) and remove the hyphen, you have the cert number that is printed on the slab:

Thanks to E4 discord member @nikoreps who helped me pull the list, we know there are just over 1500 certs in this list. One would assume this list includes basically all the prototype or playtest cards, but it’s actually missing quite a few cards.

According to CGC’s instructions, if cards are not on the list, they are not eligible for review.

Use this service only for cards listed below. There is no charge for this service (and all shipping fees will be paid by CGC) if your card is on this list. Note: The “Online Waiver and Consent to Remove Collectibles from Holders” does NOT apply to cards submitted for Holder Review and has been removed. All cards submitted under Holder Review will be handled according to the CGC Guarantee.

For questions about submitting an eligible card for review, or if you believe you have an impacted card that is not on our list, please contact CGC Customer Service at Service@CGCcards.com or call, text or message us on WhatsApp using (+1) 855-GRADE10.

I wanted to see in total how much $ volume these cards had moved on public marketplaces, so I had been populating a spreadsheet with sold data by platform. Some platforms like Rare Candy were entirely accounted for, but others like Heritage and Goldin had more than half of their publicly sold prototypes missing from the list (again, huge thanks to @nikoreps for helping build this sheet and populating the data from CGC’s pop report):

Now, you might imagine that maybe they missed a few batches of cards when they compiled the list, but oddly enough it seems completely random when cards are in the list or not.

For example, the following certs are a full 26-card Alpha Prototype batch:

Cert # Card Name Version Front image Back image Grade Sold platform Sold date Sold Price Notes
1401042270001 Exeggcute Pokémon 1995 Japanese Alpha Prototype Mounted on Card https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/84344e38-bbb8-4e38-968f-12e0b5f250c9/CSG1401042270-001_OBV@500x818.jpg https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/84344e38-bbb8-4e38-968f-12e0b5f250c9/CSG1401042270-001_REV@500x818.jpg 9 HA 12/7/2024 $3,500.00 Wasn’t on list
1401042270002 Koffing Pokémon 1995 Japanese Alpha Prototype Mounted on Card https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/8ec86002-061f-4843-9ad2-cf32507ab1fc/CSG1401042270-002_OBV@500x818.jpg https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/8ec86002-061f-4843-9ad2-cf32507ab1fc/CSG1401042270-002_REV@500x818.jpg 8.5 HA 12/7/2024 $3,750.00 Wasn’t on list
1401042270005 Poliwhirl Pokémon 1995 Japanese Alpha Prototype Mounted on Card https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/b0801343-0f10-4a8e-8d05-dc715f090285/CSG1401042270-005_OBV@500x818.jpg https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/b0801343-0f10-4a8e-8d05-dc715f090285/CSG1401042270-005_REV@500x818.jpg 8.5 HA 12/7/2024 $4,000.00 Wasn’t on list, wrong grade
1401042270006 Ekans Pokémon 1995 Japanese Alpha Prototype Mounted on Card https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/6b1b5ebd-9d80-4224-beb1-c6aa502d0918/CSG1401042270-006_OBV@500x818.jpg https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/6b1b5ebd-9d80-4224-beb1-c6aa502d0918/CSG1401042270-006_REV@500x818.jpg 8.5 HA 12/7/2024 $2,250.00 Wasn’t on list
1401042270007 Metapod Pokémon 1995 Japanese Alpha Prototype Mounted on Card https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/f949875c-de64-451c-a22f-9753d47ec4e0/CSG1401042270-007_OBV@500x818.jpg https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/f949875c-de64-451c-a22f-9753d47ec4e0/CSG1401042270-007_REV@500x818.jpg GEM MINT 10 HA 12/7/2024 $3,000.00 Wasn’t on list
1401042270008 Doduo Pokémon 1995 Japanese Alpha Prototype Mounted on Card https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/24ddf84b-b0e6-4a95-bcbb-e3f6f5224bd2/CSG1401042270-008_OBV@500x818.jpg https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/24ddf84b-b0e6-4a95-bcbb-e3f6f5224bd2/CSG1401042270-008_REV@500x818.jpg 9 HA 12/7/2024 $3,000.00 Wasn’t on list
1401042270009 Shellder Pokémon 1995 Japanese Alpha Prototype Mounted on Card https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/b4fcc52c-28cf-4a14-9d0e-3c525fe2dd1a/CSG1401042270-009_OBV.jpg https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/b4fcc52c-28cf-4a14-9d0e-3c525fe2dd1a/CSG1401042270-009_REV.jpg 9 HA 12/7/2024 $3,250.00
1401042270010 Gastly Pokémon 1995 Japanese Alpha Prototype Mounted on Card https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/234e554b-f8d3-44d2-9325-852b92740bb6/CSG1401042270-010_OBV@500x818.jpg https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/234e554b-f8d3-44d2-9325-852b92740bb6/CSG1401042270-010_REV@500x818.jpg 9 HA 12/7/2024 $4,000.00 Wasn’t on list
1401042270011 Psyduck Pokémon 1995 Japanese Alpha Prototype Mounted on Card https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/06b2a6ed-de23-43a2-b517-267aec9e695e/CSG1401042270-011_OBV@500x818.jpg https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/06b2a6ed-de23-43a2-b517-267aec9e695e/CSG1401042270-011_REV@500x818.jpg 9 HA 12/7/2024 $5,250.00 Wasn’t on list
1401042270013 Oddish Pokémon 1995 Japanese Alpha Prototype Mounted on Card https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/2521c9ed-8e40-4a7d-857e-0468e193ff73/CSG1401042270-013_OBV@500x818.jpg https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/2521c9ed-8e40-4a7d-857e-0468e193ff73/CSG1401042270-013_REV@500x818.jpg GEM MINT 10 HA 12/7/2024 $4,250.00 Wasn’t on list
1401042270016 Clefairy Pokémon 1995 Japanese Alpha Prototype Mounted on Card https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/dc881ea0-4ba6-4b98-a492-d565ef798ff6/CSG1401042270-016_OBV.jpg https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/dc881ea0-4ba6-4b98-a492-d565ef798ff6/CSG1401042270-016_REV.jpg GEM MINT 10 HA 12/7/2024 $5,000.00
1401042270017 Weepinbell Pokémon 1995 Japanese Alpha Prototype Mounted on Card https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/439ac4a4-b12f-419d-93c3-6088ea89f63a/CSG1401042270-017_OBV@500x818.jpg https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/439ac4a4-b12f-419d-93c3-6088ea89f63a/CSG1401042270-017_REV@500x818.jpg 8 HA 12/7/2024 $2,250.00 Wasn’t on list
1401042270018 Rattata Pokémon 1995 Japanese Alpha Prototype Mounted on Card https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/dd23c732-c7cf-40b6-9c5b-c21fc532c548/CSG1401042270-018_OBV@500x818.jpg https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/dd23c732-c7cf-40b6-9c5b-c21fc532c548/CSG1401042270-018_REV@500x818.jpg 8.5 HA 12/7/2024 $1,875.00 Wasn’t on list
1401042270019 Pidgey Pokémon 1995 Japanese Alpha Prototype Mounted on Card https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/3a2626a8-c894-43eb-9779-e5321f48ba4a/CSG1401042270-019_OBV@500x818.jpg https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/3a2626a8-c894-43eb-9779-e5321f48ba4a/CSG1401042270-019_REV@500x818.jpg GEM MINT 10 HA 12/7/2024 $3,750.00 Wasn’t on list
1401042270020 Beedrill Pokémon 1995 Japanese Alpha Prototype Mounted on Card https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/774e3a01-9ae6-450d-81e4-e81bcbce19bb/CSG1401042270-020_OBV@500x818.jpg https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/774e3a01-9ae6-450d-81e4-e81bcbce19bb/CSG1401042270-020_REV@500x818.jpg 9 HA 12/7/2024 $2,375.00 Wasn’t on list
1401042270021 Onix Pokémon 1995 Japanese Alpha Prototype Mounted on Card https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/10f00df8-c114-45d1-a104-9a5c04a28178/CSG1401042270-021_OBV.jpg https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/10f00df8-c114-45d1-a104-9a5c04a28178/CSG1401042270-021_REV.jpg 9 HA 12/7/2024 $3,500.00
1401042270023 Wartortle Pokémon 1995 Japanese Alpha Prototype Mounted on Card https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/1081f73d-1ae3-4941-acec-ad57088f359c/CSG1401042270-023_OBV@500x818.jpg https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/1081f73d-1ae3-4941-acec-ad57088f359c/CSG1401042270-023_REV@500x818.jpg 8.5 HA 12/7/2024 $4,250.00 Wasn’t on list
1401042270024 Hypno Pokémon 1995 Japanese Alpha Prototype Mounted on Card https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/b3ca1c64-92cd-4104-9ea2-aba0f716ba13/CSG1401042270-024_OBV@500x818.jpg https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/b3ca1c64-92cd-4104-9ea2-aba0f716ba13/CSG1401042270-024_REV@500x818.jpg 9 HA 12/7/2024 $3,875.00 Wasn’t on list
1401042270025 Dratini Pokémon 1995 Japanese Alpha Prototype Mounted on Card https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/4292ded8-06bd-4b89-a761-9eadc7a08842/CSG1401042270-025_OBV.jpg https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/4292ded8-06bd-4b89-a761-9eadc7a08842/CSG1401042270-025_REV.jpg MINT+ 9.5 HA 12/7/2024 $4,500.00
1401042270026 Pikachu Pokémon 1995 Japanese Alpha Prototype Mounted on Card https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/5a354cfa-d278-4c2d-862a-cdf53fa3ab95/CSG1401042270-026_OBV@500x818.jpg https://ccg-imaging-cgc-tradingcards-production.s3.amazonaws.com/5a354cfa-d278-4c2d-862a-cdf53fa3ab95/CSG1401042270-026_REV@500x818.jpg 9 HA 12/7/2024 $20,000.00 Wasn’t on list

Of the 26 in this batch, only 4 cards (1401042270009, 1401042270016, 1401042270021, 1401042270025) are present in the review lookup:

If you try looking up one of the cards not in the list, for example 1401042270023 (Wartortle), you get no results

Now, one theory could be that the cards no longer eligible have already been flagged and are en-route back to CGC.

However, I don’t think that’s the case. For the Wartortle example I just cited, I am the owner of the card. It is sitting in my Fanatics Vault right now and I bought it from Heritage Auctions on 12/7/2024:

So it begs the question–why are so many publicly sold certs missing from the review tool, including those within the same batch? It would make the most sense that they just selected all certs of all the prototypes and playtests and just loaded them into the tool, but it seems like they were picked almost randomly.

tl;dr

I think many people will have to contact CGC before sending theirs in to get them eligible for review. Don’t just send in blindly, make sure they know that it’s a playtest/prototype being sent in for holder review even if it’s not an “eligible” card.

Fun bonus
Can you spot what’s wrong with this cert? https://www.cgccards.com/certlookup/1401042270005/


:clown_face:

18 Likes

Numbers are hard

2 Likes

8.5 or 9.5?
1996 or 2024?
0.03%

8 Likes

It just means that yours is authentic, obviously. Congrats! :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

In all seriousness that’s a massive issue and makes even less sense that 021 and 025 show up in the list…would this suggest hundreds or even thousands are missing?

4 Likes

if they are missing from heritage or goldin it means they are unpaid over half is wild :rofl:

Oh they’re not missing from Goldin / Heritage–they are on those sites and paid for , but NOT on the CGC list of prototype cards eligible for review.

I have already found nearly 100 missing just going through Goldin + HA sales data. I haven’t touched Alt or eBay yet who have sold many more

4 Likes

Maybe if your making a list can send it to cgc so they can update there send in list with all the missing ones.

Such a shame that E4 is basically doing the job they should’ve done.