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Glossary

Hobby Glossary: A–Z

Quick definitions for the most common sports card terms.

A

  • Acetate Card – Card printed on clear or semi‑clear plastic stock.
  • Action Photo – In‑game or motion shot rather than a posed photo.
  • Alternate Jersey Relic – Swatch from an alternate game‑worn jersey.
  • Amber Parallel – Orange/amber‑tone variation, often serial numbered.
  • Authentication – Third‑party verification that a card or auto is genuine.
  • Auto (Autograph) – Signed card; either on‑card or sticker.

B

  • Back Variation – Back text or layout differs from the standard.
  • Base Card – Standard card from the main checklist.
  • Beckett – Beckett Grading Services (BGS) and hobby price guides.
  • Blank Back – Printing error with no back print.
  • Booklet Card – Fold‑out multi‑panel card with patches/autos.
  • Box Break – Opening a sealed box; can be personal or group.
  • Buyback Card – Older card reissued with stamp or signature by the maker.

C

  • Case Break – Opening a sealed case of multiple boxes.
  • Case Hit – Premium card seeded about once per case.
  • Checklist – Official list of cards in a product.
  • Chrome – Shiny chromium stock (Topps Chrome/Bowman Chrome).
  • Comps – Comparable recent sales to estimate value.
  • Cut Signature – Auto embedded from a cut document (check, letter).

D

  • Die‑Cut Card – Non‑standard edges or shape.
  • Digital Card – App/online only (including NFT).
  • Dual Patch – Relic with two separate swatches.
  • Dusting – Slang for a weak break with no notable hits.

E

  • Encapsulated – Sealed in a tamper‑evident holder by a grader.
  • Error Card – Misprint, wrong photo, or incorrect stats.
  • Exclusive Parallel – Variation only in a store/region/format.
  • Exquisite Collection – Upper Deck’s iconic high‑end line.

F

  • Factory Set – Complete set packaged by the manufacturer.
  • Fake Patch – Counterfeit relic piece swapped in after release.
  • First Bowman – Player’s first licensed Bowman card, marked “1st Bowman”.
  • Flipper – Buys to resell quickly for profit.
  • Foilboard – Printed on reflective foil stock.
  • Fractor – Refractor‑type variation (e.g., X‑Fractor).

G

  • Game‑Used Relic – Swatch documented as used in a game.
  • Gem Mint – Top condition; PSA 10, BGS 9.5/10, etc.
  • Glossy Finish – Smooth, shiny surface coating.
  • Graded Slab – Sealed holder containing a graded card.

H

  • Hall of Famer (HOF) – Player inducted into a Hall of Fame.
  • Hand Numbered – Serial written by hand on the card.
  • High Number Series – Later print run, often scarcer.
  • Hit – Auto, relic, SSP, or other major pull.
  • Hot Pack – Pack rumored/guaranteed to contain a hit.

I

  • Insert – Subset seeded within packs, not part of base set.
  • IP Auto – In‑person autograph, not pack‑pulled.
  • Inscription Auto – Auto with added text (HOF year, nickname).
  • Investing – Buying with expectation of value growth.

J

  • Jersey Numbered Card – Serial matches player’s jersey number.
  • Jumbo Patch – Large jersey swatch dominating the card front.

K

  • Kaboom! – Panini comic‑style case‑hit insert line.
  • Key Rookie – Most desirable rookie(s) in a product or set.

L

  • Label (Slab) – Printed info strip in a graded holder.
  • Laundry Tag Relic – Jersey manufacturer tag swatch.
  • Logoman Patch – Full league/manufacturer logo patch piece.
  • Low Serial – Numbered to 25 or fewer.

M

  • Master Set – Base, inserts, parallels, and variations complete.
  • Match‑Worn Relic – Worn in a specific documented match/game.
  • Mini Card – Smaller than standard size.
  • Mojo Refractor – Distinct patterned refractor design.
  • Multi‑Sport Release – Product featuring multiple sports.

N

  • Negative Parallel – Inverted colors from the base.
  • NFT Card – Blockchain‑verified digital card.
  • Numbered Parallel – Serial numbered variation.

O

  • On‑Card Auto – Signature applied directly to the card surface.
  • Oversized Card – Larger than standard; often box‑toppers.
  • Overprint – Printed in greater quantity than expected.

P

  • Pack Fresh – Just pulled, pristine condition.
  • Patch Auto – Autograph with a relic swatch.
  • PC (Personal Collection) – Kept by the collector, not for sale.
  • Player‑Worn Relic – Worn by the player, not always game‑used.
  • Pop Report – Grader’s population by grade level.
  • Printing Plate – One‑of‑one CMYK plate used to print the card.
  • Prizm – Panini chromium line with refractor‑style parallels.

Q

  • Quad Relic – Four different swatches on one card.
  • Quick Flip – Buy and sell in a very short window.

R

  • Rainbow – Complete run of a card’s parallels.
  • Raw Card – Ungraded card.
  • RC Logo – Official Rookie Card designation logo.
  • Refractor – Chrome parallel with reflective finish.
  • Relic – Any memorabilia‑containing card.
  • Rip Card – Card with an inner card hidden inside.

S

  • Serial Numbered – Printed x/y numbering.
  • Set Builder – Collector focused on completing sets.
  • Short Print (SP) – Lower print run than base.
  • Slabbed – Encased in a graded holder.
  • Superfractor – 1/1 gold swirl refractor (Topps/Bowman Chrome).
  • Surface Scratches – Light scratches that affect grade.

T

  • Team Set – All cards of a team in a set.
  • Test Issue – Limited run to gauge demand.
  • Throwback Design – Modern card using a vintage design.
  • Tiffany Set – Premium glossy Topps sets from the 80s–90s.

U

  • Uncirculated Card – Issued sealed; not pack‑pulled.
  • Update Set – Adds trades, late call‑ups, or new rookies.

V

  • Variation – Alternate photo or design vs base.
  • Vintage – Commonly pre‑1980 cards.
  • VIP Pass Card – Event‑exclusive giveaway card.

W

  • Wax Pack – Vintage wax‑paper pack wrapper style.
  • White Whale – Long‑chased personal grail card.
  • Worn Relic – Practice or game‑used swatch.

X

  • XRC – Extended Rookie Card from pre‑RC sets.
  • X‑Fractor – Cross‑hatched prism refractor pattern.

Y

  • Yellow Printing Plate – One of four CMYK plates.
  • Young Gun – Upper Deck hockey rookie designation.

Z

  • Zero Numbered – Misprinted serial showing 00 or 0/0.
  • Zebra Parallel – Rare animal‑print variation in Panini lines.
Updated Aug 12, 2025
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