Trading Card - Terminology

Terminology

Phrase	Definition	Ref.
9-Up Sheet	Uncut sheet of nine cards, usually promos.
Autograph Card	Printed insert card that also bear an original cast or artist signature
Base Set	Complete set of base cards for a particular card series.
Box	Original manufacturer's container of multiple packs, often 24 packs per box.
Box Topper Card	Card included in a factory sealed box.
Blister Pack	Factory plastic bubble pack of cards or packs, for retail peg-hanger sales.
Card Sleeve	Sleeves that cards are to be put in to protect the cards.
Case	Factory-sealed crate filled with card boxes, often six to twelve card boxes per case.
Chase Card	Card, or cards, included as a bonus in a factory sealed case.
Common Card	Non-rare cards that form the main set. Also known as base cards.
Factory Set	Card set, typically complete base sets, sorted and sold from the manufacturer.
Hobby Card	Item sold mainly to collectors, through stores that deal exclusively in collectible cards. Usually contains some items not included in the retail offerings.
Insert Card	Non-rare to rare cards that are randomly inserted into packs, at various ratios (e.g. 1 card per 24 packs). An Insert Card is often different from the base set, in appearance and numbering. Also known as chase cards.
Master Set	Not well defined; often a base set and all readily available insert sets; typically does not include promos, mail-in cards, sketch, or autograph cards.
Oversized Card	Any base, common, insert, or other card not of standard or widevision size.
Parallel Card	A modified base card, which may contain extra foil stamping, hologram stamping that distinguishes the card from the base card.
Pack	Original wrapper with base, and potentially insert, cards within, often called 'wax packs', typically with two to eight cards per pack. Today the packs are usually plastic or foil wrap.
Retail Card	Cards, packs, boxes, and cases sold to the public, typically via large retail stores, such as K-mart or Wal-Mart.
Rack Pack	Factory pack of unwrapped cards, for retail peg-hanger sales.
Promo Card	Cards that are distributed, typically in advance, by the manufacturer to promote upcoming products.
Redemption Card	Insert Card found in packs that are mailed (posted) to the manufacturer for a special card or some other gift.
Sell Sheet	Also 'ad slicks'. Usually one page, but increasingly fold-outs, distributed by the manufacturers to card distributors, in advance, to promote upcoming products. With the proliferation of the Internet, sell sheets are now typically distributed in digital form to trading card media outlets such as Beckett and The Cardboard Connection so that collectors can preview sets months before they are released.
Sketch Card	Insert Card that feature near-one-of-a-kind artists sketches.
Swatch	Insert Card that feature a mounted swatch of cloth, such as from a sports player's jersey or an actor's costume.
Tin	Factory metal can, typically filled with cards or packs, often with inserts.
Unreleased Card	Card printed by the manufacturer, but not officially distributed for a variety of reasons. Often leaked to the public, sometimes improperly. Not to be confused with promo cards.
Uncut Sheet	Sheets of uncut base, insert, promo, or other cards.
Wrapper	Original pack cover, often with collectible variations.