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Word of the Day
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…
KEEP READINGChecklist
A list of every card in a given product (e.g. 2021 Topps Chrome Baseball) – every base card, every parallel, every autographed card, etc.
KEEP READINGChrome®
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…
KEEP READINGBlaster Box
A blaster box is a type of retail box commonly distributed at large retail stores like Walmart and Target (as opposed to Hobby shops or online exclusives)….
KEEP READINGBook Card
When one or more cards – generally, autographed cards or relics – are combined together to open like a book.
KEEP READINGCase
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…
KEEP READINGBorder
On a card, the border refers to the outer edge or frame surrounding the central image and text. Depending on the card manufacturer, set, and…
KEEP READINGBox
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….
KEEP READINGBox Loader
Box loaders – or toppers – are special, single cards or sets of cards that are only available as inserts in hobby boxes. Box loaders…
KEEP READINGAcetate
A premium trading card material made from transparent or semi-transparent plastic, known for its sleek and durable design. Acetate cards often feature striking visual effects,…
KEEP READING1st Bowman®
A player’s 1st Bowman card is their first professional baseball card, released before their official RC.
KEEP READINGBase 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…
KEEP READINGBreaking
“Breaking” means opening the seal on the box or pack to reveal the cards inside. Breaking can take many forms but is typically done by…
KEEP READINGBrick-and-Mortar
Brick-and-Mortar refers to Hobby Shops. These Hobby Shops represent the foundation of collecting and continue to be the most critical institutions in the Hobby. Even…
KEEP READINGCard 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…
KEEP READINGChasing the Rainbow
A modern collecting phenomenon where you collect different color parallel cards of a player.
KEEP READINGCard Sleeve
These are plastic sleeves used to protect cards. The most popular kind – Penny Sleeves – get their name for being inexpensive: they cost a…
KEEP READINGCase 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…
KEEP READINGCard Stock
Card stock refers to the type of paper or material used to produce trading cards. Card stock can vary in thickness, depending on the set…
KEEP READINGChrome® Sapphire
Premium design treatment of Topps Chrome® products that debuted in 2016. Sapphire cards elevate chromium stock cards with blue highlights and sapphire refractor foil boards,…
KEEP READINGCollation/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…
KEEP READINGCombination 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…
KEEP READINGCommon 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…
KEEP READINGCompletist
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,…
KEEP READINGDie-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…
KEEP READINGDinged
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…
KEEP READINGGrading
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…
KEEP READINGHigh Number/High Series
The subset of cards within a particular set released later in the production run, typically with a higher number.
KEEP READINGHit
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…
KEEP READINGAutograph
A card that is autographed by a player, celebrity, or other subject. Autos are a type of chase card – they are more limited, and…
KEEP READINGBreaking
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…
KEEP READINGChase 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…
KEEP READINGError 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….
KEEP READINGEvent-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…
KEEP READINGFactory 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…
KEEP READINGFanatics Live
Fanatics Live is a Hobby platform innovating the breaking industry with more exciting shows, unprecedented athlete access, and the most robust trust and safety policies…
KEEP READINGFlagship
Topps Flagship is the core annual baseball card release, encompassing Series 1, Series 2, Topps Update, Topps Chrome, and Topps Chrome Update. Each year’s flagship…
KEEP READINGGame-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…
KEEP READINGGame-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…
KEEP READINGGlossy 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….
KEEP READINGHobby
A widely-used shorthand for the practice of card collecting and the community of card collectors.
KEEP READINGHologram 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…
KEEP READINGInscription
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…
KEEP READINGInsert 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.
KEEP READINGJackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson, born January 31, 1919, in Cairo, Georgia, was a groundbreaking American baseball player who broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier with the Brooklyn…
KEEP READINGJersey 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…
KEEP READINGJersey Number Card
A jersey number card refers to a couple of different types of covetable cards. One example of a jersey number card is a trading card that…
KEEP READINGWax
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…
KEEP READINGJosh Gibson
Josh Gibson, born on December 21, 1911, was an elite baseball catcher and one of the greatest hitters in history. He starred in the Negro…
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