The Collector’s Glossary

1st Bowman® - A player’s 1st Bowman card is their first official baseball card, released before their official rookie card. These cards will be designated “1st” or “1st Bowman,” usually in the upper left-hand corner. The 1st Bowman card designation was first used in 1996 but didn’t become a staple of Bowman sets until 2003. Since then, a player’s 1st Bowman has taken on greater value as prospecting has become an increasingly important part of the modern Hobby. Within the collector community, the importance of the 1st Bowman card has come to rival that of the professional rookie card.

Autograph card - A card that is autographed by a player, celebrity, or other subject. Autos are a type of chase card – they are more limited, and thus more valuable, than the more common cards in a set.

Base Card - Base cards make up the base set, which is the most common set of cards in a sports or non-sport product. Base cards are considered common cards and make up the majority of cards in a given product. They typically feature a card number on the back of the card, making them easily identifiable on the product checklist.

Blaster Box - A blaster box is a type of retail box that is commonly distributed at large retail stores (as opposed to Hobby shops or online exclusives). Blaster boxes tend to have fewer packs per box (anywhere from 4 to 15) and, like other retail products, tend to have a lower price point, making them an accessible option for newcomers to The Hobby.

Book Card  -  When one or more cards – generally, autographed cards or relics – are combined together to open like a book.

Box - A box is a sealed container that holds packs of cards. Some boxes may contain as little as one pack of cards; others may contain 30+ packs. The number of packs-per-box varies considerably from product to product.

Box Loader  - Box loaders (or toppers) are special, single cards or sets of cards that are only available as inserts in hobby boxes. Box loaders are usually larger than standard-size cards and are meant as a unique opportunity for collectors to engage in the Hobby. 

Breaking - Breaking refers to the practice of opening multiple boxes or cases of a product at the same time, and then distributing the cards to a larger group of paying customers. Breakers sell ‘slots’ to their breaks, and customers receive a defined portion of the opened product. In some cases, the customers will pay for a specific team, which entitles them to any card belonging to a player from that team; in other cases, the customer is simply given a randomized allotment.
Breaking has become a major business within the trading card world. Breakers operate websites and often stream their breaks on social media platforms. For high-stakes breaks, it isn’t uncommon for thousands of people to tune in and watch even though they aren’t paying for a slot or receiving any cards.

Card Show - A trade show where collectors and dealers congregate to buy, sell, and trade cards. There are hundreds of card shows around the United States each year, and an increasing number of shows are now held in Europe and other countries. Most card shows are local and attended by a relatively small number of local dealers and enthusiasts. 

Card Sleeve - These are plastic sleeves used to protect cards. The most popular kind – Penny Sleeves – get their name for being inexpensive: they cost a penny.

Case - A case is a sealed container that holds a set number of boxes. Most Topps hobby cases contain 12 boxes, though the number of boxes-per-case varies from product to product.

Case hit - Boxes are shipped from manufacturers in cases, and for some products, a special card will be inserted ‘one per case’. These case hits are more rare and thus more valuable to collectors.

Chase Card - Any given set of cards will include a limited number of chase cards, which are highly coveted by collectors. Some examples of chase cards include: autographed cards, rare parallels, rare rookie cards, relic cards, and insert cards. Unlike common base cards, chase cards are more rare and valuable. When opening packs, some collectors will completely ignore the base card set and focus entirely on hitting a chase card.

The Rainbow - Chasing the Rainbow is a modern collecting phenomenon where you collect different color parallel cards of a player. Depending on the player and parallels that could include autos, a complete Rainbow collection could consist of many cards. Additionally, some collectors chase only the paper or chrome Rainbows or combine both.

Checklist - A list of every card in a given product – every base card, every parallel, every autographed card, etc. A checklist doesn’t tell you what cards you will pull from a given pack or box; instead, it tells you what cards you could pull from that box. It defines the universe of potential cards for a given product.

Chrome® - Unlike traditional paper cards, Chrome cards use chromium paper, which gives them a shiny, metallic look. Chrome cards are also more firm and durable than paper cards. First introduced with the 1996 Bowman Chrome set, Chrome remains one of the most popular card types in the entire Topps line.

Collation/Collating - Collation/Collating is the organizing and assembling of trading cards into complete sets or subsets. Typically done by collectors or dealers, this process involves gathering individual cards and arranging them according to specific criteria, most often using checklists. Collating can be challenging and time-consuming, particularly for larger sets containing many parallels. Collation/Collating is a critical aspect of the Hobby because it allows collectors to complete sets and increase their overall value. Since the introduction of the checklist in the late 19th century, collation/collating remains an essential part of the Hobby requiring patience, attention to detail, and deep knowledge of the cards and sets collected.

Combination Card - Combination cards feature two or more players, teams, or other elements on a single card. These cards come in various designs: one player on each side, players arranged in a unique design on the card, dual or triple autos, and even relic cards receive the combination card treatment. Combination cards are often produced as unique or limited edition cards, making them highly sought after by collectors.

Common Card - Commons are the least rare, and therefore least valuable, cards in any given set. A typical common would be the base card of a non-rookie player. Commons are the opposite of chase cards and hits.

Completist - A collector who is driven to possess every card of a given set, year, team, player, or category. If they collect 2021 Topps Chrome Baseball, the completist will hunt down every card from that checklist – including every base card, parallel, auto, etc. For many collectors, common cards from a given set will have little value. But for a completist, whose aim is to complete each set, the common cards will have significant value, since they cannot complete the set without them.

Rookie Debut Patch - Fanatics introduced this uniform patch for 2023 MLB prospects and rookies playing in the first MLB game. The debut patch is worn on the jersey in the player’s first-ever MLB game. The Rookie Debut Patch was turned into the innovative Rookie Debut Patch Autograph card that first released in 2023 Topps Chrome Update Series Baseball.

Die-cut - A trading card that has had part of the card stock removed to create a specific shape, design or function, such as a stand-up. In today’s collecting era, such cards are used as inserts and are usually short-printed. This makes them more rare than other cards in the set, and thus more likely to be coveted and valued by collectors

Dinged - A dinged card is a damaged card. A ding can refer to indentations, scratches on the surface, or other types of damage. But the most common ding is associated with the corners. When a corner is bent, blunted, or otherwise damaged, it is called a “dinged corner”. Usually, this is caused when the card is mishandled. But sometimes, dinged corners result from cards simply shifting around in the pack. Dinged cards will typically receive a lower grade, and have a lower value on the secondary market.

Error Card - A card that contains a mistake or error resulting in a variation (aka VAR). Error cards may include misspellings, statistical errors, incorrect photos, or other mistakes. When an error is corrected by the manufacturer, the error cards can be far more rare than the common, corrected versions, which leads to higher values. However, if the correction occurred late in the production cycle, the corrected card will be printed in lower quantities than the error card, and thus the corrected card – not the error card – may be worth more.

Event-Worn - A piece of memorabilia that has been worn by a player at a non-specific game or event. For example, a jersey or jersey patch that was worn at a rookie’s signing session. This memorabilia is then embedded in a trading card.

Factory Set - Factory Set refers to a specific way to sell baseball cards. Instead of random packs being placed in a retail box or hobby box, a full set is packaged and sold in a single box. Factory sets first appeared in the 1980s due to the popularity of hand collated sets offered in mail catalogs.

Game-Used - A piece of memorabilia that has been used in a professional sporting event. These items can include, but are not limited to: bats, jerseys, fielding gloves, batting gloves, bases, etc. Baseball memorabilia is typically ‘MLB authenticated’, which means that Major League Baseball guarantees the authenticity and provenance of the game-used items. Game-used memorabilia are commonly used in relic cards (though not all relic card memorabilia is game-used).

Game-Worn - A piece of memorabilia that has been worn by a player in an official game, which is then embedded in a trading card – commonly referred to as a Relic Card.

Glossy Set - Glossy sets refer to cards featuring a shiny, reflective coating. This coating is achieved through printing tech, such as Chrome cards printed on chromium paper. Glossy sets are considered more visually appealing than regular non-glossy sets, and they are often produced in limited quantities, making them more valuable to collectors. Some examples of glossy sets include Chrome sets, Tiffany Sets from the 1980s and 1990s, refractors, and other inserts or subsets included in non-glossy products.

Grading - Many collectors will submit their cards to a third-party service to evaluate and assess their physical condition. This third-party service will assign a numerical grade between 1-10; the higher the grade, the better the condition. Cards with higher grades tend to fetch higher prices on the secondary market. A card in perfect condition will receive a GEM Mint rating of 10. Mint and near-mint graded cards tend to be highly valued, and often fetch prices that are exponentially higher than cards with low grades.

Hit - A modern hobby term referring to higher-valued chase cards. Autographs, relic cards, insert cards, and coveted rookie cards are all commonly understood to be hits. In some cases, manufacturers will guarantee a certain number of “hits per box”, which means that a specific number of chase cards have been inserted in each box.

Hobby Box - Hobby boxes are high-end boxes that typically feature a greater number of chase cards, which makes them more expensive/valuable. Unlike retail boxes, which are widely distributed in big box stores (think: Walmart or Target), hobby boxes are usually distributed exclusively through hobby shops or online.

Hologram Card - A hologram card features a holographic image or design element. The hologram can be the primary focus of the card or be used as an accent or security feature. Holograms refract light to produce three-dimensional images or shiny, prismatic effects that change depending on the angle of view. Holograms have been made to create unique, visually appealing cards; they’ve been produced in limited numbers or special sets to create rarity and increase collector value. Holograms can be used as a means of authentication to counteract counterfeiting.

Inscription - When a player signs an autograph, they sometimes include an additional inscription along with their name. Some popular inscriptions include the player’s nickname, Hall of Fame induction year, specialized notation (e.g. statistical achievement), or other personalized message.

Insert Card - Insert cards refer to any non-base and non-parallel cards in a trading card set. These cards typically have their own themes, names, designs, and numberings.

Jersey Card - A trading card that contains a small piece – or “swatch” – of a player’s jersey. Unlike Patch Cards, which are taken from specific parts of the jersey (i.e. the logo or number), jersey swatches are typically single-color and consist of basic mesh or cloth material. The memorabilia used in jersey cards are not always Game-Worn or Game-Used.

Lenticular - A visual effect that gives a card 3D-depth and movement. When you shift a lenticular card from side to side, the image appears to move.

Logoman - A logoman card features the logo patch from a player’s jersey. Logoman cards are always 1-of-1 (there is only one patch per jersey) and are often autographed, making them among the most desired and valuable cards in The Hob

Mini Cards - Mini cards are any card smaller than the standard trading card size of 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches. The size of a mini card can vary, but it is typically around 2 inches by 3 inches or smaller. Mini cards are often used as a special subset or insert within a larger trading card set, featuring unique designs, materials, or artwork. Mini cards can also be produced as standalone sets.

Multi-player Card - A special type of card featuring two or more different players.

National - The National is shorthand for The National Sports Collectors Convention, the largest and most well-attended card show of the year. The first National was held in 1980 in Los Angeles. In recent years, it has been held in Atlantic City and Chicago and has attracted over 100,000 attendees.

Numbered - Numbered cards are short-printed (e.g. limited edition), and the print run is specified on either the front or back of the card. For example, a card may be sequentially numbered 10/100 to indicate that it is the 10th card out of a print run of 100.

On-Card Auto - With on-card autos, the player puts their signature directly on the card, rather than on a sticker affixed to the card (a sticker auto). Many collectors prefer on-card autos because they offer a closer connection to the player and are more aesthetically pleasing. Generally speaking, on-card autos have greater value than sticker autos, though both types of card are highly prized.

One of One - A 1/1 card is the rarest type of trading card, making it especially appealing to collectors. Some of the most valuable cards in existence today are 1/1 cards.

Pack - A pack is a sealed container that holds a set number of cards. Most Topps packs have between 4 and 16 cards, though the number will vary from product to product.

Parallel - Most trading card products have a base set, made up of common cards, and then a smaller number of more-limited parallel cards. These cards essentially ‘run parallel’ to the base set – they have a similar look and design, but are distinguished by a unique physical quality. This distinguishing quality can be in the form of border color, texture, pattern, card material, image variation, or the printing technology employed.

Patch Card - Cards that specifically feature a multi-colored jersey patch embedded in the card itself. Sometimes the jersey patches are game-used, but not always.

Personal Collection - A modern hobby term to describe cards that a collector specifically intends to keep for themselves. In most contexts, PC also connotes cards that a collector is unwilling to sell or trade (“they belong to my PC and aren’t for sale”). “PC” can also be used as a verb – as in, “I’m PCing this card, it has sentimental value”.

Pick Your Team breaks - also known as “Team Breaks” – refer to breaks where collectors split the contents among the participants according to a predetermined set of rules. For example, in a typical baseball card team break, collectors purchase a team (or teams) and receive all the team cards for the team(s) they purchased. Team breaks increase collectors’ chances of obtaining specific cards or from particular sets.

Pop Report - A pop report is a published census showing the total number of cards graded by a third-party grading company. For any given card in any given grade (e.g. Mint 10), there will be a published pop report showing how many times the grading service has awarded that exact grade to that exact card. When a collector pulls a valuable card from a pack, they will often look up the pop report to see how many graded versions of that card exist. If the card has a low pop, that means there are fewer potential cards on the market and thus prices will likely be higher.

Random Break - A random break is a breaking event where the contents of a sealed box or case of cards are divided randomly among participants. Each participant typically pays a fixed fee to enter the break by purchasing a “slot” or “spot.” The collector or dealer will then use a randomizer tool to randomly assign each slot to a participant. Once the slots have been assigned, the collector or dealer will “break” the cards by opening them and revealing their contents. The cards are then distributed among the participants according to the slots that they were randomly assigned.

Raw - A card that hasn’t been graded and slabbed by a third-party service like PSA or BGS. When you buy a pack of Topps baseball cards, you are buying raw cards. If you send those raw cards to a grading service, they will become graded cards. Grading typically adds value, and graded cards tend to be more valuable than raw cards in the same condition.

Redemption Card - With redemption cards, the owner exchanges or “redeems” the card with the manufacturer and receives a hit (typically, autographed) card at a later date. Modern redemption cards feature a code printed on cardstock, and the owner redeems their card by simply submitting that code to the manufacturer.

Refractor® - Refractor Cards utilize a special printing technology to create a unique visual effect. The cards refract light to create a prism or rainbow-like look and colorful shine. Most products include multiple types of refractors, each of which is named forby their different colors (Green Refractor, Blue Refractor, etc.). Each color is printed to a different quantity, and they tend to be numbered. Refractor cards are more rare than common cards in the set, which means that collectors assign them greater value.

Relic Card - A card that contains a piece of memorabilia embedded in the card itself – from a swatch of fabric from a player’s jersey to a piece of game-used baseball. There are Dual and Triple Relic cards, which include more than one piece of memorabilia on a single card. Relic cards are typically considered chase cards and assigned more value than ordinary base cards.

Retail Box - These are lower-priced boxes that are widely distributed and available in large retail stores. A retail box may have the same base set as a higher-end hobby box, but will have fewer guaranteed hits and chase cards.

Rookie Card - Rookie cards refer to players’ first cards once they make their Major League debut. In most cases, rookie cards are stamped with some kind of designation (e.g. “RC”) on the front or back, and that designation will appear on the card that same year as the debut or, in some cases, the following year. Players can have dozens of rookie cards – especially if they are a highly-touted prospect that manufacturers want to feature in their products. Rookie cards are highly coveted by collectors and tend to be much more valuable than cards produced later in a player’s career. If a player has several different rookie cards, they will usually vary in value, and collectors will reach a consensus as to which rookie card is most important – and thus, most valued.

Sketch Card - Sketch Cards are one-of-one, hand-drawn cards created by the licensed artist from a particular set. They are the same size as regular trading cards and include the artist’s signature.

Slabbing - Slabbing is a synonym for grading. A slabbed card is a graded card. “That card is probably worth some money – you should get it slabbed”.

Standard Card Size - Topps established the standard size for modern trading cards as 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches (6.4 cm x 8.9 cm). This size became standard because it was small enough to fit easily into card-collecting albums or sleeves yet large enough to accommodate detailed artwork and text. It also allowed for efficient printing and cutting processes, which made it cost-effective for card manufacturers. While there are some variations in size for certain types of cards, such as oversized or mini cards, the 2.5 x 3.5-inch format remains the most common and widely recognized standard in the Hobby.

Sticker Auto - With sticker autos, the player autographs a sticker or label and then the sticker is applied to the trading card. These differ from on-card autos, where the player signs the card directly.Some collectors prefer sticker autos because they result in fewer indentations on the surface of the card.

Superfractor™ - A superfractor is the rarest type of refractor card. Superfractors are short-printed, 1-of-1 cards, which means that for any given card, there will be only one superfractor of that card in the entire product. Because they are 1/1, superfractors are among the most desired and valuable cards in any set.

Team Break - also known as “Pick Your Team” breaks – refer to breaks where collectors split the contents among the participants according to a predetermined set of rules. For example, in a typical baseball card team break, collectors purchase a team (or teams) and receive all the team cards for the team(s) they purchased. Team breaks increase collectors’ chances of obtaining specific cards or from particular sets.

Toploader - Toploaders are thick, plastic encasings used to protect and store cards. Valuable cards are typically placed in a thin penny sleeve and then in a toploader for maximum protection.

Wax - A commonly-used Hobby term, wax refers to an unopened box or case of cards. To “rip wax” or “break wax” is to open a sealed box or case – often vintage boxes that have been kept unopened for years.

Source: ripped.topps.com