Welcome to our Sports Card Collecting Glossary/Legend/Terms Guide

Collector's searching eBay have asked many questions on the abbreviated terms or acronyms that sellers use and we wanted to help provide the Sports Card Industry Standard Glossary Legend for these from 2007 Beckett Official Guide and other publications.  We will break this down into the main three sports to make sure that everything is sport specific.  We hope this helps all collectors in finding great items on eBay.  If this has been helpful, please score us as helpful at the bottom of this guide.   Thank you!

Baseball Terms

ACETATE - A transparent plastic.

AS - All-Star card.  A card portraying an All-Star Player of the previous year that says "All-Star" on its face.

ATG - All-Time Great card.

ATL - All-Time Leaders card.

AU(TO) - Autographed card.

AW - Award Winner.

BB - Building Blocks.

BC - Bonus Card.

BF - Bright Futures.

BL - Blue Letters.

BNR - Banner Season.

BOX CARD - Card issued on a box (e.g. 1987 Topps Box Bottoms).

BRICK - A group of 50 or more cards having common characteristics that is intended to be bought, sold, or traded as a unit.

CABINETS - Popular and highly valuable photographs on thick card stock produced in the 19th and early 20th century.

CC - Curtain Call.

CG - Cornerstones of the Game.

CHECKLIST - A list of the cards contained in a particular set.  This list is always in numerical order if the cards are numbered.  Some unnumbered sets are artificially number in alphabetical order, by team and alphabetically within the team, or by uniform number for convenience.

CL - Checklist card.  A card that lists in order the cards and players in the set or series.  Older checklist cards in Mint condition that have not been marked are very desirable and command premiums.

CP - Changing Places.

CO - Coach.

COMM - Commissioner.

COMMON CARD - The typical card of any set; it has no premium value accruing from subject manner, numerical scarcity, popular demand, or anomaly.

CONVENTION - A gathering of dealers and collectors at a single location for the purpose of buying, selling, and trading sports memorabilia items.  Conventions are open to the public and sometimes feature autograph guests, door prizes, contests, seminars, etc.  They are frequently referred to simply as "shows".

COOP - Cooperstown.

COR - Corrected Card.

CT - Cooperstown.

CY - Cy Young Award.

DD - Decade of Dominance.

DEALER - A person who engages in buying, selling and trading sports collectibles or supplies.  A dealer may also be a collector, but as a dealer, his/her main goal is to earn a profit.

DIE-CUT - A card with part of its stock partially cut, allowing one or more parts to be folded or removed.  After removal or appropriate folding, the remaining part of the card can frequently be made to stand up.

DK - Diamond King.

DL - Division Leaders.

DP - Double Print (a card that was printed in double the quantity compared to the other cards in the same series) or Draft Pick card.

DT - Dream Team.

DUFEX - A method of card manufacturing technology patented by Pinnacle Brands, Inc.  It involves a refractive quality to a card with foil coating.

ERA - Earned Run Average.

ERR - Error card.  A card with erroneous information, spelling, or depiction on either side of the card.  Most errors are not corrected by the producing card company.

FC - Fan Club.

FDP - First or First-Round Draft Pick.

FF - Future Foundation.

FOIL - Foil embossed stamp on card.

FOLD - Foldout.

FP - Franchise Player.

Fr - Franchise.

FS - Father/son card.

FS - Future Star.

FUN - Fun cards.

FY - First Year.

GL - Green Letters.

GLOSS - A card with a luster; a shiny finish as in a card with UV coating.

HG - Heroes of the Game.

HIGH NUMBER - The cards in the last series of numbers in a year in which such higher-numbered cards were printed or distributed in significantly lesser amounts then the lower-numbered cards.  The high-number desgnation refers to a scarcity ot the high-numbered cards.  Not all years have high numbers in terms of this definition.

HL - Highlight card.

HOF - Hall of Fame, or a card that protrays a Hall of Famer (HOFer).

HOLOGRAM - A three-dimensional photographic image.

HH - Hometown Heros.

HOR - Horizontal pose on card as opposed to the standard vertical orientation found on most cards. 

IA - In Action card.

IF - Infielder.

INSERT - A card of a different type or any other sports collectible (typically a poster or sticker) contained and sold in the same package along with a card or cards of a major set.  An insert card is either unnumbered or not numberedin the same sequence as the major set.  Sometimes the inserts are randomly distributed and are not found in every pack.

INTERACTIVE - A concept that involves collector participation.

IRT - International Road Trip.

ISSUE - Synonymous with set, but usually used in conjunction with a manufacturer, e.g., a Topps Issue.

JSY - means Jersey.

KM - K-Men.

LHP - Left-handed Pitcher.

LL - League Leaders or large letters on card.

LUM - Lumberjack.

MAJOR SET - A set produced by a national manufacturer of cards containing a large number of cards.  Usually 100 or more different cards constitute a major set.

MB - Master Blasters.

MEM - Memorial card.  For example, the 1990 Donruss and Topps Bart Giamatti cards.

METALLIC - A glossy design method that enhances card features.

MG - Manager.

MI - Maximum Impact.

MINI - A small card; for example, a 1975 Topps card of identical design but smaller dimensions than the regular Topps issue of 1975.

ML - Major League.

MM - Memorable Moments.

MULTI-PLAYER CARD - A single card depicting two or more players (but not a team card).

MVP - Most Valuable Player.

NAU - No autograph on card.

NG - Next Game.

NH - No-Hitter.

NNOF - No name on front.

NOF - Name on Front.

NOTCHING - The grooving of the card, usually caused by fingernails, rubber bands, or bumping card edges against other objects.

NT - Now and Then.

NV - Novato.

OF - Outfield or Outfielder.

OLY - Olympics Card.

P - Pitcher or Pitching pose.

P1 - First Printing.

P2 - Second Printing.

P3 - Third Printing.

PACKS - A means by which cards are issued in terms of pack type (wax, cello, foil,, rack, etc.) and channel of distribution (hobby, retail, etc.).

PARALLEL - A card that is similar in design to its counterpart from a basic set but offers a distinguishing quality.

PF - Profiles.

PG - Postseason Glory.

PLASTIC SHEET - A clear, plastic page that is punched for insertion into a binder (with standard three-ring spacing) containing pockets for displaying cards.  Many different styles of sheets exist with pockets of varying sizes to hold the many differing card formats.  Also called a display sheet of storage sheet.

PP - Power Passion.

PLATINUM - A metallic element used in the process of creating a glossy card.

PR - Printed name on back.

PREMIUM - A card, sometimes on photographic stock, that is purchased or obtained in conjunction with, or redemption for, another card or product.  The premium is not packaged in the same unit as the primary item.

PRES - President.

PRISMATIC/PRISM - A glossy or bright design that refracts or disperses light.

PS - Pace Setters.

PT - Power tools.

PUZZLE CARD - A card whose back contains a part of a picture which, when joined correctly with other puzzle cards, forms the completed picture.

PUZZLE PIECE - A die-cut piece designed to interlock with similar pieces (e.g., early 1980s Donruss).

PVC - Polyvinyl chloride, a substance used to make many of the popular card display protective sheets.  Non-PVC sheets are considered preferable for long-term storage of cards by many.

RARE - A card or series of cards of very limited availability.  Unfortunately, "rare" is a subjective term frequently used indiscriminately to hype value.  "Rare" cards are harder to obtained than "scarce" cards.

RB - Record Breaker.

RC - Rookie Card.

REDEMPTION - A program established by multiple card manufacturers that allows collectors to mail in a special card (usually a random insert) in return for special cards, sets, or other prizes not available through conventional channels.

REFRACTORS - A card that features a design element that enhances (distorts) its color/appearance through deflecting light.

REV NEG - Reversed of flopped photo side of the card.  This is a major type of error card, but only some are corrected.

RHP - Right-handed pitcher.

RHW - Rookie Home Whites.

RIF - Rifleman.

RPM - Rookie Premiere Materials.

RR - Rated Rookie.

ROO - Rookie.

ROY - Rookie of the Year.

RP - Relief Pitcher.

RTC - Rookie True Colors.

SA - Super Action card.

SASE - Self-Addressed, Stamped Envelope.

SB - Scrapbook.

SB - Stolen Bases.

SCARCE - A card or series of cards of limited availability.  This subjective term is sometimes used indiscriminately to hype value.  "Scarce" cards are not as difficult to obtain as "rare" cards.

SCR - Script name on back.

SD - San Diego Padres.

SEMI-HIGH - A card from the next-to-last series of a sequentially issued set.  It has more value than an average card and generally less value than a high-number.  A card is not called a semi-high unless the next-to-last series in which it exists has an additional premium attached to it.

SERIES - The entire set of cards issued by a particular producer in a particular year; e.g., the 1971 Topps series.  Also, within a particular set, series can refer to a group of (consecutively numbered) cards printed at the same time, e.g., the first series of the 1957 Topps issue(#1 through #88).

SET - One each of the entire run of cards of the same type produced by a particular manufacturer during a single year.  In other words, if you have a complete set of 1976 Topps then you have every card from #1 up to and including #660; i.e., all the different cards that were produced.

SF - Starflics.

SH - Season Highlights.

SHEEN - Brightness or luster emitted by card.

SKIP-NUMBERED - A set that has many unissued card numbers between the lowest number in the set and the highest number in the set, e.g., the 1948 Leaf baseball set contains 98 cards skip-numbered from #1 to #168.  A major set in which a few numbers were not printed is not considered to be a skip-numbered.

SP - Single or Short Print (a card that was printed in lesser quantity compared to the other cards in the same series; see also DP and TP).

SPECIAL CARD - A card that portrays something other than a single player or team, for example, a card that portrays the previous year's statistical leaders or results from the previous year's World Series.

SS - Shortstop.

STANDARD SIZE - Most modern sports cards measure 2 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches.  Exceptions are noted in the card descriptions throughout the books and guides.

STAR CARD - A card that portrays a player of some repute, usually determined by his ability; but sometimes referring to sheer popularity.

STOCK - The cardboard or paper on which the cardis printed.

SUPERIMPOSED - To be affixed on top of something; i.e., a player photo over a solid background.

SUPERSTAR CARD - A card that portrays a superstar, e.g., a Hall of Famer or player with strong Hall of Fame potential.

TC - Team checklist.

TEAM CARD - A card that depicts an entire team.

THREE-DIMENSIONAL (3D) - A visual image that provides an illusion of depth and perspective.

TOPICAL - A subset or group of cards that have a common theme (e.g., MVP award winners).

TP - Triple Print (a card that was printed in triple the quantity compared to the other cards in the same series).

TR - Trade reference on card.

TRANSPARENT - Clear, see-through

UDCA - Upper Deck Classic Alumni.

UER - Uncorrected Error.

UMP - Umpire.

USA - Team USA.

UV - Ultraviolet, a glossy coating used in producing cards.

VAR - Variation card.  One of two or more cards from the same series with the same number (or player with identical pose if the series is unnumbered) differing from one another by some aspects, the different feature stemming from the printing stock of the card.  This can be caused when the manufacturer of the cards notices an error in one or more of the cards, makes the changes, and then resumes the print run.  In the case there will be two versions or variations of the same card.  Sometimes one of the variations is relatively scarce.

VERT - Vertical pose on card.

WAS -Washington National League (1974 Topps).

WC - What's the Call?

WL - White Letters on front.

WS - World Series card.

YL - Yellow letters on front.

YT - Yellow team name on front.

* - to denote multi-sport sets.

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