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.