Refers to the overall number of copies of a single card. Some cards have small print runs like 1/1 while others have been printed millions of times.
An abbreviation for Professional Sports Authentication, PSA is a California-based grading company founded in 1991. PSA is generally considered the most desirable grading company for selling cards on the secondary market. PSA is part of Collectors.
A publication that lists possible price estimates for sports and trading cards. Similar to Book Value, the term price guide is often associated with the Beckett Price Guide. Online tools like Market Movers from Sports Card Investor also provide pricing data using sales data from marketplaces like eBay, PWCC and Goldin Auctions.
Refers to cards printed before World War II.
Refers to cards, usually vintage, that were printed after World War II.
Sometimes abbreviated Pop Report, this is the published census of cards graded by a specific grading company. PSA, SGC, BGS and CSG all have public population reports.
Abbreviated as PC, this refers to a collector’s personal collection of cards that they typically don’t intend to sell. This term is often used in the context that a collector will “PC” specific players or teams.
A plastic sleeve that can hold and protect a trading card. Penny sleeves are generally the cheapest form of protection and can also be easily placed in a top loader.
Refers to a piece of jersey placed inside a trading card. While sometimes synonymous with jersey cards, some collectors use patches to refer to higher-quality jerseys that may contain multiple colors or logos.
A base card that features a specific design or unique coloring, making it distinct from the more common base card itself. Popular examples of parallels are colors like Silver, Gold, or Black, or pattern-based parallels like Mojo, Scope or Wave. Parallels usually vary in rarity from unnumbered short prints to serial numbered 1-of-1s. Collecting one of every parallel in a checklist is referred to as “building the rainbow” or “rainbow chasing.”
A major card manufacturer best known for its long history of international sticker sales and the production of ultra-modern football and basketball cards. Panini is best known for iconic sets like Prizm, Optic and Select as well as high-end releases like National Treasures and Flawless.
Refers to a person who searches, weighs or opens packs before purchasing. Pack searchers often attempt to find “thicker” packs containing jersey/memorabilia cards or autographs.
A group of cards packaged by the manufacturer.
A Canadian confectionary company that has produced candy as well as trading cards over the years. Often associated with Topps, the modern-day O-Pee-Chee brand is produced by Upper Deck.
The 1979 O-Pee-Chee Hockey release contains an iconic Wayne Gretzky rookie card, which is considered one of the most important and valuable cards in the hobby.
Online storefronts that specialize in trading cards and memorabilia. Blowout Cards and Dave and Adam’s Card World are considered two of the most popular online retailers.
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