Glossary Of Baseball Card Terms

A
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AL - Short for baseball's American League.

ALCS - Short for American League Championship Series. A stage in baseball's playoff system to get to the World Series.

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 Greats.

ATL - All-Time Leaders.

AU - Autographed (card).

AUT - All-UD Team (a collection of top stars as selected by Upper Deck)

AW - Award Winner.

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BB - Building Blocks.

BC - Bonus Card.

Beckett - A well-known publisher of sports card price guides. The first Beckett price guide was published in 1979. This guide is widely credited for ushering in the modern sports card collectibles market.

BF - Bright Futures.

BGS - Short for Beckett Grading Services, a professional sports card grading company.

BL - Blue Letters.

Blank Back - A baseball card that has no printing on the reverse side by design or as a result of a manufacturing error. Blank backs that are manufacturing errors usually carry a premium.

Blue Back - A card with a blue back. This term is usually connected to the 1951 Topps Blue Back baseball card set.

BNR - Banner Season.

Book Price - Also known as "Books" "Books for," Book Value, The retail selling price that appears in a price guide.

Bowman - A well-known card manufacturer that began production in 1948 with baseball, football, and basketball cards. Their basketball production was halted that same year, while baseball and football cards were produced through 1955. The following year, Topps purchased the company and ended their rivalry in the sports card market. In 1989, Topps once again began production of cards with the Bowman name. Cards with this brand name are prominent in the modern sports card market.

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.

BVG - Short for Beckett Vintage Grading, a division of Beckett Grading Services.

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Cabinet Card - An oversized card that was issued by tobacco manufacturers. They were commonly produced on a thick cardboard stock and available as premiums in the 19th and early 20th century. Curio cabinets were very common in this era, and a favorite place for collectors to display these treasures, thus the name cabinet card.

CC - Curtain Call.

CG - Cornerstones of the Game.

Cello Box - A box that contains cello packs. These boxes were distributed to retailers for individual pack sales. Most cello boxes contain 24 packs.

Cello Pack - A form of card packaging. These packs usually contain more baseball cards than the standard wax packs. These packs are wrapped in a transparent packaging, much like cellophane. Cello packs that have a star visible, especially on the front, are collectable and carry a premium over that of the price of the single card.

Certificate of Authenticity - Also known as COA - A statement of the genuineness of an item (often an autograph), printed on a piece of paper, thin cardboard, that is furnished to the buyer by the seller. Certificates of authenticity can be issued by the seller or a third party authentication service. The validity of the certificate of authenticity depends upon the integrity and knowledge of the seller or authentication service.

Checklist (CL)- A list of cards in any one set or series. Checklists can be found in books and price guides, although the term is more commonly used for checklist cards, which are often included in sports card sets. These are intended as aids for collectors and commonly include small boxes that can be checked when the card is obtained. For this reason, many vintage checklists are of great value if found free of markings.

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.

CO - Coach.

COMM - Commissioner

COOP - Cooperstown

Common - A term used to describe a card that is not a rookie, semi-star, or star card. These are usually the least expensive cards in a set. "Singles" has also become a widely acceptable term for commons. The term Common can also be used in regard to lesser known or desired players in any given memorabilia set such as silk blankets, or figurines for example.

COR - Corrected Card.

CP - Changing Places.

Cracker Jack - A brand of snack consisting of caramel-coated popcorn and peanuts. It is also well known for being packaged with a Toy Surprise Inside. This term Cracker Jack is used as reference to the 1914 and 1915 Cracker Jack baseball card set that was issued as an insert in Cracker Jack boxes. Cracker Jack is also an inexpensive Baseball bat sold by Hillerich & Bradsby (Louisville Slugger) during the 1920s-1950s. Possibly taking advantage of the snacks popularity the Bat has no relationship with the Cracker Jack candy.

CT - Cooperstown.

Cut Signature - or "Cuts" - A signature on a small piece of paper, or "cut" from a larger piece. The lowest Item in value for a signature. Index cards are the next step up in value, and both sell at a fraction of the higher priced Photos, Baseballs, Bats, and equipment. Cut Signatures are often cut from an item that has been ruined to save its value such as a baseball card, cover of a publication, photograph, letter or notebook on which it was originally signed. Cuts are commonly used for inserts by baseball card companies

CY - Cy Young Award.

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DD - Decade of Dominance.

Diamond Kings (DK) - A subset of cards issued with Donruss Baseball cards. The cards entitled Diamond Kings feature the artwork of Dick Perez of Perez-Steele Galleries.

Diamond Star - A set of cards that was produced from 1934 to 1936 by National Chicle. The set consists of 108 color cards that feature artwork done from original photos. The set is one of the more popular pre-war issues.

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.

Ding - A term used to describe the damage on the corner of a baseball card. A ding is commonly caused by dropping or mishandling a card. A card with a ding (or dinged corner) is greatly devalued. A Ding can also be in reference to the indentation mark on the surface of the cover of a publication or photograph left by being struck by an object.

DK - Diamond Kings. (see Diamond Kings)

DL - Division Leaders.

Doctored - A term used to describe a collectible item that has been altered to cover up a flaw. A doctored baseball card might have been trimmed, as to sharpen "dinged" corners, or remove the fraying on a Doctored pennant for example. Any collectible item that has been doctored will be devalued, and this practice is frowned upon, among the collecting community. 

Donruss - A sports card manufacturer that began production in 1981 with a baseball set and a golf set.

Double Header - A unique set of baseball cards that was issued by Topps in 1955. The cards are larger than standard and feature colored art drawings of baseball players. When the card is folded in half, another player's body matches up with the shared feet and legs of the card. A Double Header in baseball is when two teams play two games in one day with the same crowd in attendance. When referred to as A day night or Twi-Night Double Header one game is played in the afternoon and one in the evening typically with separate admission fees.

Double Play - A baseball card set Issued by Gum Inc. in 1941. This set features 75 black and white cards, each depicting two different players.

Double Print (DP)- A baseball card that has twice the print run of the rest of the cards in the set. This is due to the fact that, occasionally, two of the same cards will appear on a sheet (usually 132 cards per), which is later cut into individual cards.

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.

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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.

Error Card (ERR) - A card that contains a mistake. An error card may have an incorrect photo, a misspelled name or incorrect statistical information. Error cards will only be worth more money if the mistake was corrected, and the card that was printed in the fewest quantity is worth the most. Not necessary the card with the error.

EX - Short for Excellent.

EX-MT - Short for Excellent - Mint

Exhibit Card - A larger-type card that is roughly the size of a postcard made by the Exhibit card company. Exhibit cards were commonly sold in arcades and were produced from the 1920s to the 1960s.

Extended Rookie Card (XRC) - A card released in an extended or limited set outside of the regular issued set of the major company. Most often once a player was drafted and prior to a player's first major league appearance.

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Factory Set - An entire set of cards that was packaged by the manufacturer for sale to the public. These sets usually include a distinct box with a security seal or inner-packing to secure the cards. Sets from the factory generally carry a premium over hand-made sets.

FC - Fan Club.

FDP - First or First-Round Draft Pick.

FF - Future Foundation.

FF - Fleer Future (Fleer Card)

Flat - A term used at autograph shows to describe a picture, poster, magazine, postcard or baseball card. Usually "flats" have a different pricing structure than equipment, uniforms or baseballs.

Fleer - A manufacturer of sports cards. The company produced baseball cards from 1959 to 1963, as well as several football sets and a single basketball set in this same era. In 1981, the company once again began production and is a leading manufacturer in today's market. Fleer is now owned by Rite Aid, the well-known Pharmacy.

FOIL - Foil embossed stamp on card.

FOLD - Foldout.

Foil Packs - A group of cards that are packaged by the manufacturer for retail sale. These packs are so named for their metallic packaging.

FP - Franchise Player.

FR - Franchise.

FS - Father/son card.

FS - Future Star

FTC - First Topps Card

Full Bleed - This is the term used when a card has no border. The image on the card goes up to the edge of the cardboard.

FUN - Fun cards.

FY - First Year.

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Game Used Cards - A card that has a piece of game used memorabilia embedded into the card. These are often thicker than regular issue cards.

GG - Gold Glove Award

GG - Griffey Gallery (Upper Deck Card)

GL - Green Letters.

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

GM - Golden Moments

Goudey - An extremely popular card manufacturer that produced cards from 1933 to 1941. The 1933 Goudey set is their most popular, and arguably the most popular pre-war set produced. The art drawing set features numerous Hall of Famers, including two cards of Lou Gehrig and four cards of Babe Ruth.

Grade - A description of the condition of a sports card or sports memorabilia item. Grade is always a big component of price. The higher the grade, the more desirable, and consequently, the more valuable the item. Nowadays nearly all valuable sports cards are graded using the 10 Point Grading Scale established by Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) in 1991.

Gum Stain - A stain on a card that is caused by gum. When gum was inserted in packs, it was placed on top of the pack, between the wrapper and the card. Over time, the gum would stain the card. Cards with gum stains are worth only a fraction of those without. Topps received numerous complaints from collectors that the gum was either staining the cards, or creating an impression in them, sacrificing their "mint" condition. The gum was eliminated in 1991. :(

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HG - Heroes of the Game.

HH - Hometown Heros.

High Numbers - A description of the last, or near the last series in a baseball card set. Traditionally, manufacturers would produce cards in several series. As the season would wind down, so would public interest and production. This lower print run resulted in more limited supply and later, more valuable cards.

High Series - Also known as a high number series or high number, a high series contains baseball cards from the last series distributed for a set in a given year. Many of these older high series cards are of great value, as they were often released after the baseball season, when interest for baseball was waning. Therefore, these cards were often printed or distributed in smaller amounts than those of the preceding series. The most well known high series is from the 1952 Topps set (#311-407), which includes Mickey Mantle's first Topps card (#311).

HIT - Hit List

HL - Highlight card.

HOF - Short for Hall Of Fame

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

Hologram - The silvery, laser etched trademark printed as an anti-counterfeiting device by sports card and memorabilia manufacturers, and authenticators. As seen on the back of this Upper Deck authentic Baseball Card

HRD - Home Run Derby 

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IA - In Action card.

IF - Infielder.

Insert - A word that describes cards that were added to a regular pack to help increase sales. The first inserts were around the turn of the century, when tobacco companies used cardboard to keep packs of cigarettes from getting smashed. Eventually, pictures were included on the small pieces of cardboard. Over time, these premiums became collectible and a key element of different cigarette sales. Throughout the years, manufacturers have used many kinds of inserts. Inserts have evolved to the point where almost every new issue available contains at least one type of insert. These modern inserts are far rarer than regular issue cards. Inserts from the past have included posters, decals, and  scratch offs as well.

Interactive - A concept that involves collector participation.

IRT - International Road Trip.

IS - Inter league Showdown

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

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Jersey Cards - A card that has a piece or "swatch" of a game used Jersey embedded into the card. These are often thicker than regular issue cards.

JSY - Jersey.

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KING -King Of The Hill

KK - King of Kings

KM - K-Men.

KP - Kid Photos

Krause - An established hobby publisher, Krause produces annual 'Standard Catalogs' of sports cards along with Memorabilia price guides and weekly issues of Sports Collector's Digest (SCD).

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Leaf - Well known for its production of its modern day sets, Leaf is also well known for several sets produced right after World War II. In 1948 and 1949, they produced crude sets of baseball, football, and boxing stars. Over time, these issues have become very popular, especially tough-to-find, high-grade examples.

LHP - Left-handed Pitcher.

Limited edition - A term often used by makers of cards and memorabilia to indicate scarcity. A limited edition means just that - production of the item in question will be limited to a certain number. However, that number may be large or small, and is relevant to the amount of collectors interested in it. The value of a limited edition item is high only if the number made is less than the number of collectors that desire the item. If the Limited amount made is more than the amount of collectors interested, the value will go down from the issued price.

LL - League Leaders or large letters on card.

Low series - Low series or low number cards are from the first series distributed for a set in a given year. Production and distribution of these cards was generally greater as they were the first run of cards available to the public for that baseball season. However, there are exceptions. For instance, the 1933 Goudey low series or low numbers are worth considerably more than their higher numbered counterparts.

LUM - Lumberjack.

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MB - Master Blasters.

MC Short for "Miscut" Type of qualifier. A card that has no border, or even portions of another card. Cards with a factory miscut, such as a diamond cut, or when another card's image is on the original card will be designated MC. These cards have little value.

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.

Minor League Card - A card that features players from the minor leagues. Minor league cards are a small, but important part of the market. Most minor league cards have low print runs and are difficult to locate.

MK - Short for "Mark" a term used with baseball card grading. Type of qualifier. The card exhibits marks caused by pen, pencil, or some other type of ink and the presence of the mark or marks causes the card to fall below the minimum standard for the grade.

ML - Major League.

MLP - Major League Prospects

MM - Memorable Moments or Magic Moments

MT - Short for Mint

Multi-Player Card - A single card depicting two or more players (but not a team card).

MVP - Most Valuable Player.

Mylar - A type of plastic from which many card holders, plastic sheets and other protection devices are made.

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NAU - No autograph on card.

NG - Next Game.

NH - No-Hitter.

NL - Short for National League

NLCS - Short for National League Championship Series. A stage in baseball's playoff system to get to the World Series.

NM - Short for Near Mint

NM-MT - Short for Near Mint-Mint

NNOF - No name on front.

NOF - Name on Front.

MOG - Measures Of Greatness

Notching - A card-grading term used to describe indentations along the edge of a card, sometimes caused by a rubber band. Notching decreases a card's value.

NT - Now and Then.

NV - Novato.

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OC - Short for Off Center

Oddball - An "off beat" category of sports collectibles other than the normal cards, or commonly collected items. Examples could include An autographed beer can, A player endorsed Ice cream wrapper (food product), or A baseball card issued by a fast food chain or non sports related company. A unique collectible.

OF - Outfield or Outfielder.

Off Center - A term most commonly used with baseball cards. An off center baseball card for example could have a ratio of 35/65 as opposed to a perfectly centered card of 50/50

OJ Cards - or OJ Short for Old Judge Cards also see Tobacco Card

Old Judge - A brand of cigarettes which was popular in the late 1800's. Also the name given to the huge set of baseball cards issued as a premium with that brand of cigarettes. The Tobacco cards, issued from 1887-90, carried advertisements for Old Judge cigarettes.

OLY - Olympics Card.

O-Pee-Chee - A division of the Topps company located in Canada that manufactures baseball and hockey cards.

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Pack - A group of cards that are sealed by the manufacturer for retail sale.

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

PB - Play-off Bound

Perez-Steele A Line of popular Baseball Hall of Fame art postcards that is ideal for autographs, produced by artist Dick Perez and his late business partner, Franklin Steele.

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.

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

Play Ball - A very popular pre-war baseball card manufacturer that produced sets from 1939 to 1941. Also, the phrase used by an umpire to signal the start of a baseball game.

Post War - A collectible that is from a time after World War II.

PP - Power Passion.

PR - Printed name on back.

PRES - President.

Pre War - A collectible that is from a time before the start of World War II.

Premium - An item issued as an advertising extra. In most cases, collectors have had to send away to the companies or manufacturers to receive a "premium".

Price Guide - A list of estimated values for sports cards and/or sports memorabilia. The first major sports collectibles price guide was The Sport Americana Baseball Card Price Guide issued by Dr. Jim Beckett in 1979. Today, there are dozens of guides such as Krause's 'Standard Catalog', Beckett's 'Baseball Almanac', and Collector's Universe's 'Sports Market Report'.

Price Guides - Third party guides published on a regular basis to indicate the estimated value of an item according to the current market, such as Keymancollectibles.com, the Beckett price guide, and the Krause standard catalogs of sports cards.

Prismatic (PRISM) - A glossy or bright design that refracts or disperses light.

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

Promotional Card - A card produced by a manufacturer to promote upcoming issues. Generally, these cards are more limited than the regular issues.

PROS - Prospects 

PSA - Short for Professional Sports Authenticator. Founded in 1991, PSA was the first widely accepted grading service and set the standard for the graded card market.

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

PV - Pro Visions

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.

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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.

Raw - Refers to any card that is not encapsulated by a grading service.

RC - Abbreviation, short for Rookie Card . Notes a player's rookie card. 

Re-colored - The art of fraudulently re-coloring the surface of a sports card to hide wear or physical damage.

Red Back - A card with a red back. This term is most commonly used with the 1951 Topps Red Back set.

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.

Red Heart - A 33 card set from 1954 that was issued by the Red Heart Dog Food Co. The set was issued in three series of 11 cards each that had different colored backgrounds behind the player: Red, green, and blue. The red background series is considered to be the scarcest. This issue was redeemable by mail from the manufacturer and was reportedly available as late as the early 70's.

Refractor - A card that has chrome reflective devices. These cards often come with a thin removable protective layer. The card loses some value if this plastic layer is removed.

Regional Set - A set issued only in a specific geographic area. These sets are usually smaller and feature one or several teams from the issued area.

Reprint - A card that is a reproduction of an original, usually more expensive card or set. A reproduction of an original publication.

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.

Rookie - A player in his first season. Also short for rookie card.

Rookie Card - A players first year of cards, whether or not it is his rookie season. Players may have one or dozens of rookie cards, depending on how highly touted he was as a youngster and in which year his rookie card was issued

PSH - Post Season Highlights

RT - Round Trippers

ROY - Rookie of the Year.

RPM - Rookie Premiere Materials.

RP - Relief Pitcher.

RR - Rated Rookies

RTC - Rookie True Colors.

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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.

SCD - Short for Sports Collectors Digest.

Score - A sports card manufacturer which first started production in 1988.

SCR - Script name on back.

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 - A group of cards that are a part of a larger set. Until the 1970s, many card manufacturers, especially Topps, issued cards in several series, which were released throughout the season.

Set - An entire run of cards from a given issue, including all card numbers that were produced.

SF - Starflics.

SG - Spirit of the Game

SGC - Short for Sportscard Guaranty Corporation, a professional sports card grading company.

SH - Season Highlights.

Sheen - Brightness or luster emitted by card.

Short Print - A card that is printed in lesser numbers than the other cards in the same set. Generally, short prints have a print run of half that of the other cards.

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.

Skybox - A sports card manufacturer that started production in the 1990's.

Slabbed - A term used to describe a professionally graded card that has been encapsulated in a sonically sealed card holder.

Slabbing - The process of encapsulating a card in a sonically sealed holder.

SLUG - Silver Slugger Award

SP - Abbreviation for short print. Also, a high quality set produced by Upper Deck.

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.

Sportflics - A manufacturer of baseball cards in the 80's and 90's, best known for their 3D style cards.

Sporting Life - Sporting Life was a major publication in the early part of the century. They issued numerous sports card sets, the most popular of which was the 1911 M116. Offered as a premium to subscribers, these cards were issued in 24 different 12-card series.

Sports Kings - A popular issue from 1933/1934 that featured the top athletes from that period. The issue was produced by Goudey Gum Inc. Both of these sets are among the most popular pre-war issues ever produced. After 73 years Sport Kings cards are returning for release in October, 2007.

Sports Market Report (SMR) - The leading price guide for professionally graded sports cards.

SR - Star Rookies (Upper Deck Cards)

SS - Shortstop.

ST (Stain) - A term used in baseball card grading. Type of qualifier. The card exhibits staining which falls below the minimum standard for the grade. This could be a gum, wax, water or other type of stain.

Stain Residue - or a mark left on the surface of a sports collectible, usually as a result of contact with a foreign.

Stamped - An autograph applied to a photo, baseball card or other item such as a signature model bat or glove. A facsimile signature. not hand signed.

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.

Stand-ups - Refers to a type of card that was die cut around the player's picture. The background section then could be folded in half, so the card could stand up by itself while the player's picture stood alone. The most well known stand-up issues are the 1964 Topps Stand Ups and the 1934-36 Batter Up set. The cards can be difficult to obtain in high grade, as many of them were folded, thus compromising their condition.

Star - A player that stands out above the rest. A better than average player. 

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

Starting Lineup - Also known as SLU. Toy action figures that depict sports athletes. These are made of plastic and commonly come in a sealed package with a baseball card. These figures are very collectable and are most valuable when in their original packages.

Stock - The cardboard or paper on which the cardis printed

STP - Star Power

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.

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T-206 - A classic set of over 500 small tobacco premium cards issued in various brands of cigarettes from 1909-1912. This set contains dozens of cards depicting Hall-Of-Fame players of the day. Widely recognized as one of the three most important sports card sets ever produced.

TBC -Turn Back The Clock

TC - Team Checklist

T.C.G. - This abbreviation for Topps Chewing Gum Company, and can be found on the backs of many Topps produced cards.

Team Card - A card that pictures an entire sports team.

Team Set - A complete run of players from a given team from a larger set.

Test Iissue - A set or sampling of cards that is issued by a manufacturer in limited supply, in order to test its marketability. For example 1951 Wheaties Test Issue.

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

Tiffany set - A high end set of cards, issued by Topps. These sets were identical to the regular issue set, except for the higher quality white cardboard stock and the addition of a protective UV coating.

TL - Team Leaders

Tobacco card - A card that was issued in a tobacco product as a premium. The most well known issue is the T-206 set, which includes the Honus Wagner card, the most expensive card in the industry. A majority of the cards were produced around the turn of the century, although there were Red Man tobacco sets issued in the 1950s.

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

Topps - The most recognized sports card manufacturer. They are most well known for the 1952 Topps set, the king of post-war issues. Today, Topps still dominates the market, with Topps Chrome, Topps Finest, and Bowman Chrome issues.

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.

TR - The prefix after the card number on Topps Traded sets.

Traded Set - A set of cards, usually factory packaged, that features players who switched teams during the season, as well as those who made their debuts. Topps, who started this trend in 1981, is most well known for traded sets. Other companies also produce traded sets, although they refer to them by different names such as "Update" (Fleer) and "Rookie/Traded" (Score) sets.

Trimmed - A card that has been Doctored by cutting or shaving the edges. The most obvious reason for this is to improve the condition of corners, by removing the worn areas. Cards are also trimmed to correct centering problems. Cards that have been trimmed have very little value. Other examples of a trimmed Item could be the removal of fraying on a pennant.

TS - Team Stars

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UDCA - Upper Deck Classic Alumni.

UER - Uncorrected Error.

UH - The prefix before the card number on Topps Update and Highlights baseball card sets.

UMP - Umpire.

UN - The Untouchables

Uncut sheet - A sheet of cards that has not been cut by the factory into individual cards. Most uncut sheets contain 132 cards.

Upper Deck - A major sports card manufacturer that started in 1989 with a premium issue. The 1989 Upper Deck set is very well known for its inclusion of the extremely popular Ken Griffey rookie card. The company produces sets for all sports, as well as other lines of cards such as SP, SPX, SP Authentic, UD3, and Collector's Choice.

Upper Deck Authenticated (UDA) - The sister company of The Upper Deck Co., which produces authentic autographed memorabilia items under contracts with star athletes including Michael Jordan.

USA - Team USA.

UV - Stands for Ultraviolet. The Sun emits harmful ultraviolet radiation. UV light can fade autographs if over exposed to. UV protective cases help prevent fading of signatures or other memorabilia. A glossy UV protective coating applied to sports cards.

UWS - United We Stand

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variation (VAR)- A card that is different, usually subtly, from its more common counterpart in any set. Some variations are error cards that were corrected by the manufacturers, while other variations might be as simple as a color change in the background of the card. Many variations are extremely rare, as they were corrections made early on in the press run, and therefore, have considerable value. The variation with the least amount printed would be the most expensive. This can also apply to other forms of memorabilia such as Armour Coins 1955 Mickey Mantle Variation for example.

Vending Box - A box of cards (usually 500) that was originally issued by the manufacturer for use in vending machines. Later, these were more often used by dealers who would collate the boxes into sets for sale to the public.

Vending case - A wholesale unit of cards, which contains vending boxes. Almost all vending cases contain 24 vending boxes, or 12,000 cards.

VERT - Vertical pose on card.

VG -Short for Very Good, A term used in grading.

VG-EX - Short for Very Good -Excellent, A term used in grading.

Vintage - A term usually intended to indicate an item was issued or produced quite some time ago. Aged or of older origin. For example: a vintage 1955 baseball card as opposed to a modern day 2005 baseball card. A piece of memorabilia manufactured about 25 or more years ago. Vintage, from the early days.

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WAS -Washington National League (1974 Topps).

Wax Pack - An unopened pack of cards, named for its traditional form of packaging: wax-coated paper that is sealed shut at the factory by simply applying heat. Wax packs may contain anywhere from one to 15 cards.

WC - What's the Call?

WL - White Letters on front.

WS - World Series card.

WS - World Stage (Upper Deck Card)

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YR  - Year of the Record (Upper Deck Card)

YT - Yellow team name on front.

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