The card collector's glossary
Published · 6 min read
The terms that appear in every listing and forum thread — holo, reverse, first edition, slab, PSA 10 — explained in one line each.
Every listing, forum thread and conversation between collectors is full of shorthand taken for granted. This glossary collects it, grouped by context, one line each.
Rarity and print type
Common / Uncommon / Rare: the base rarities, shown by the symbol on the card. On their own they say little about value: a rare from a recent set can be worth less than a common from 1999.
Holo (holographic): the artwork is glossy and reflective. In classic Pokémon this is the "classic holo", where only the image is foiled.
Reverse holo: the opposite. The card's background is foiled while the artwork stays matte. Introduced in the early 2000s, generally less sought-after than classic holos.
Full art / Alt art: the artwork covers the whole card, often with alternative art to the standard print. Among the most desirable cards in the modern market.
Secret rare: a card whose collector number exceeds the set's stated total (for example 192/185). Rarer than the rest by construction.
Promo: distributed outside normal packs: events, magazines, special products. Rarity varies enormously, from very common to nearly unobtainable.
First Edition: the first print run of a set, marked with a dedicated symbol. On older sets the premium over the standard print is large; on recent sets the distinction often does not exist.
Unlimited: the reprints following the first edition. Same card, much larger run, lower value.
Shadowless: specific to Pokémon Base Set: the very earliest prints lack the drop shadow to the right of the artwork box. A tiny detail, an enormous price difference.
Condition
M / NM / EX / GD / LP / PL / PO: the condition scale, Mint to Poor. Catalogue prices almost always mean Near Mint. Covered in depth in the condition and grading guide.
Whitening: the white that appears on corners and edges with use. The single most common defect.
Centring: how well the artwork sits between the borders, given as a ratio of margins (55/45, 60/40). A factory defect, not a storage one.
Print line: a thin line left by the printing process. Factory-original, but it still costs you in grading.
Grading
Grading: having a card assessed and sealed by a specialist company.
Slab: the rigid sealed plastic case a graded card comes back in.
PSA / BGS / CGC: the three main grading companies.
PSA 10 / Gem Mint: PSA's top grade, and the market's gold standard.
Black Label: a BGS 10 with all four sub-grades at 10. Extremely rare and heavily paid for.
Pop report: the public register of how many copies of a card received each grade. The figure that tells you whether a PSA 10 is genuinely rare or whether there are eight thousand.
Crack out: breaking a slab to remove the card, usually to resubmit it hoping for a better grade.
Market and trading
Market price: the average of recent sales. What you see in catalogues.
Realised price: what is left after fees and shipping. Always lower. Covered in the collection value guide.
Bulk: cards of negligible value, sold by weight or in lots of hundreds.
Lot: a group of cards sold together for a single price.
Sealed: still-sealed product: packs, boxes, special collections. Valued and collected in its own right.
Booster box: a sealed box of packs, typically 36 or similar depending on the game.
ETB (Elite Trainer Box): a Pokémon package including packs, sleeves and accessories.
Pull: the card that comes out of a pack. "Good pull" = a valuable card.
Pull rate: the statistical probability of finding a given card in a pack.
Chase card: the most wanted card in a set, the one people buy packs for.
Reprint: a new print run of an existing card. The single factor that most often collapses a price.
Rotation: a set leaving the competitive formats. It lowers prices for cards that were only strong in play, not for collectible ones.
Formats and games
TCG (Trading Card Game): a collectible card game, played and traded.
CCG (Collectible Card Game): essentially a synonym for TCG.
Standard / Modern / Legacy / Vintage: Magic's competitive formats, defining which sets are legal. They drive much of the value of playable cards.
Set / Expansion: a block of cards released together, with its own symbol and numbering.
Collector number: the card's number within its set (for example 4/102). Together with the set, it is the only unambiguous way to identify a card: the name alone is never enough.
Tip
If you remember one entry from this glossary, make it the last one. Most valuation mistakes start with identifying a card by name alone, when the same card can have dozens of printings at prices differing by orders of magnitude.