Glossary

51 terms, a line each.

The card

Base
The standard card in a set.
Rookie card (RC)
A player's first licensed card in a major product.
Parallel
The base design in another color or pattern, printed in smaller numbers.
Insert
A card with its own design, found in packs less often than base.
Short print (SP, SSP)
Printed in smaller numbers than the rest of the set. SSP is shorter still.
Refractor
A foil finish that throws a rainbow when tilted.
Numbered (/99)
Stamped with its place in a limited run: 23/99 is the 23rd of 99.
Bookend
The first or last number of a run: 01/99 or 99/99.
One of one (1/1)
The only copy.
Case hit
Found about once in a case of boxes.
UER
Uncorrected error: a mistake the maker never fixed, on every copy.

Autographs and relics

Autograph (auto)
Signed by the player, on the card or on a sticker.
Relic
Holds a piece of memorabilia, like a jersey or a bat.
Patch
A relic cut from a logo, number or nameplate, not plain fabric.
Printing plate
The metal plate the card was printed from. Each is a 1/1.
Redemption
A stand-in you send to the maker for a card that wasn't ready.

Grading

Raw
Not graded.
Slab
A graded card in its sealed holder.
PSA, BGS, SGC, CGC, TAG
The grading companies. See the grading guide.
Gem mint
The top of the scale: a PSA 10 or a BGS 9.5.
Pop report
How many copies of a card a company has given each grade.
Centering
How evenly the borders sit around the picture.
Corners, edges, surface
Where wear shows: soft corners, whitened edges, scratches.
Print line
A line across the card left by the printer.
Subgrades
Separate grades for centering, corners, edges and surface. BGS prints them.
Qualifier (OC, ST, PD)
A flaw PSA notes beside the grade.
N1 to N9
PSA's codes for a card it sends back without a grade.

Condition

Mint (MT)
No flaws you can see.
Near mint-mint (NM-MT)
A PSA 8: looks mint at first glance.
Near mint (NM)
Flaws you have to look for.
Excellent (EX)
Light wear.
Very good (VG)
Wear you notice.
Poor (PR)
Creases or heavy damage.

Collecting

PC
Personal collection: the cards you keep.
Set
Every base card in a release.
Master set
The set plus its parallels, variations and inserts.
Rainbow
Every parallel of one card.
Print run
How many copies were made.
Mailday
The day the cards arrive.

Buying and selling

Comps
Recent sales of the same card, used to price it.
Break
Someone opens a box live and the buyers split what comes out.
BIN
Buy It Now: a fixed price.
FOTL
First Off The Line: boxes Panini sells itself, with their own parallels.
PWE
Plain white envelope. Cheapest, least protection.
BMWT
Bubble mailer with tracking.
ESE
eBay Standard Envelope: tracked, for eBay sales of $20 or less.
Penny sleeve
The thin plastic sleeve a card goes into first. What we use (Amazon, opens in a new tab)
Top loader
A rigid plastic holder. What we use (Amazon, opens in a new tab)
Card Saver
A semi-rigid holder. What grading companies ask for. What we use (Amazon, opens in a new tab)
Team bag
A resealable soft bag that keeps a top loader shut and dry. What we use (Amazon, opens in a new tab)
One-Touch
A two-piece magnetic holder for showing off a card. What we use (Amazon, opens in a new tab)

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