quote:

Originally posted by webjon:


PS: What's a Broder card?

I always thought it was an unlicensed vending machine card type thing.

Broder was used many, many years ago because a guy, who actually had the last name of Broder, came out with his own unlicensed card line. I do believe they were sports cards, baseball if I'm not mistaken. Anyway I think it was in the early 70s and the sports card market was just heating up, so no one had thought of counterfeit cards selling big before. The "Broders" did quite well for awhile, before people like TOPPS noticed and card collectors were discouraged from buying unlicensed product. They were close to decent quality, considering what the quality of the regular cards were at the time. I haven't looked anything up, so that's just what I recall about "Broders". I did have some and maybe still do some place.

Ed, Rainbow Refractor is definitely a true term. The regular Refractor is really just a very shiny card surface that reflects light. The Rainbow Refractor was done for the same or a different card, but was a more extreme process that was supposed to reflect a color prism of light. Rainbows were priced at 3 - 4 times the regular Refractor. Problem was that light is light and the backs didn't indicate Rainbow. So often, unless you did a side-by-side comparison, collectors couldn't tell the difference. So it was kind of lost on them and no one cared after awhile. But they are still out there.

Here's other terms that are often used.

Repeat Signer - When the signer has already done autographs for the same title/product in a different series or season.

New Signer - A person contributing autographs to a product or title for which they haven't had signatures before.

I've never heard the term rainbow refractor -- I've heard superfractor or super refractor.

Another potential term:

Rainbow -- I see that used a lot when people collect one over every parallel color of a card.

quote:

Originally posted by webjon:
I've never heard the term rainbow refractor -- I've heard superfractor or super refractor.

Another potential term:

Rainbow -- I see that used a lot when people collect one over every parallel color of a card.

Never heard of a rainbow refractor either. The chrome and refractor process has been around for so long and there are still people who have a base chrome card and think it is a refractor. That may be where the extra indication of rainbow comes from?

Since you have BGS and PSA maybe also add SGC and the term TPG(Third Party Grader) has been used a lot lately.

SP - Short Print
SSP - Super Short Print
Upper Deck has been using these in particular.

Buyback - an older released card inserted into a newer product.
Card Saver - semi-rigid card holder.

In regards to age of cards there does need to be some sort of additional categories. Problem would be to get a consensus. Personally anything from early 90's to today is modern.

Hey Jon, not starting debates either, but you keep building on my posts.

I agree with you, I have also heard the term super refractor before, Another one that can be added, but Rainbow Refractor is used also. Perhaps not in your area, but in mine.

To prove it, just Google it and it comes up either as Rainbow Refractor or Prism Rainbow Refractor, which I guess is another term you could add for the same thing. Seems like new sports cards are still using a similar process.

ifish - We definitely need another category after vintage cards and modern cards. Should break after 2000 to make it nice and round. But no consensus seems to be agreed upon by the card collecting community.

I would say Vintage - Up to 1969, Modern - 1970 - 1999 and Contemporary or Present Day - 2000 to Current. Just making that up, but I would suggest capping off the name Modern, rather than carry it on to infinity.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Raven,

quote:

Originally posted by Scifi Cards:

Magnetic Holder… A two piece card holder with a recessed area for the card and the halves that are held together by a magnets. Comes in different point sizes.

These are commonly called "one-touch" cases.

Proof Cards or printers proofs
Thermal Cards / heat sensitive
Test Cards/ Topps Vault, blank back
1st day of printing stamped cards

Great list!

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:

Film Cell or Film Cell Card

Should be "cel" instead of "cell", and there already an entry for "cel".

quote:

Originally posted by Bill Mullins:

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:

Film Cell or Film Cell Card

Should be "cel" instead of "cell", and there already an entry for "cel".

That entry is about a clear plastic card, not sure what it means. I was thinking of the mounted film cell cards that are hits and used to be actual pieces of film. Maybe I'm wrong, or maybe the description is throwing me off, but I think it might be two different things.

Sample card- a trading card that illustrates what the remainder of a set will look like when issued. The card may or may not be different from the corresponding card in the set.

Test card- a preliminarily printed trading card that will determine whether a set based upon the depicted theme will be manufactured and released.

Variant- a trading card which looks like another but has subtle differences such as in the thickness of paper; hues; spelling; positioning of written composition etc..

This message has been edited. Last edited by: promoking,

Jeez Ed you have opened a can of worms now LOL

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
Ed, Rainbow Refractor is definitely a true term. The regular Refractor is really just a very shiny card surface that reflects light. The Rainbow Refractor was done for the same or a different card, but was a more extreme process that was supposed to reflect a color prism of light. Rainbows were priced at 3 - 4 times the regular Refractor. Problem was that light is light and the backs didn't indicate Rainbow. So often, unless you did a side-by-side comparison, collectors couldn't tell the difference. So it was kind of lost on them and no one cared after awhile. But they are still out there.

Raven,

Your first description is of a chrome card.

A refractor is a type of chrome card that refracts light into a rainbow pattern.

X-fractor, and Superfractor are types of refractors

Chrome and refractor are both trademarked terms by Topps. Which is why Panini calls their's Prizm, not to be confused with Prizm cards from the 90's.

To further confuse things, there is a refractor foil treatment. The base card process is standard foil and the refractor process refracts light. Breygent was fond of using it.

The term rainbow refractor is redundant, though I have heard them called rainbow chromes.

Ed

quote:

Originally posted by promoking:
Sample card- a trading card that illustrates what the remainder of a set will look like when issued. The card may or may not be different from the corresponding card in the set.

Test card- a preliminarily printed trading card that will determine whether a set based upon the depicted theme will be manufactured and released.

Variant- a trading card which looks like another but has subtle differences such as in the thickness of paper; hues; spelling; positioning of written composition etc..

Silly question, but isn't a sample card by definition a promo card? As in, see promo card?

Sample and Variant are already on the list.

Ed

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:

That entry is about a clear plastic card, not sure what it means.

I think the Xena Incarnations were clear plastic cards and there were some in the Metal Gear Solid set.

quote:

Originally posted by Scifi Cards:

quote:

Originally posted by promoking:
Sample card- a trading card that illustrates what the remainder of a set will look like when issued. The card may or may not be different from the corresponding card in the set.

Test card- a preliminarily printed trading card that will determine whether a set based upon the depicted theme will be manufactured and released.

Variant- a trading card which looks like another but has subtle differences such as in the thickness of paper; hues; spelling; positioning of written composition etc..

Silly question, but isn't a sample card by definition a promo card? As in, see promo card?

Sample and Variant are already on the list.

Ed

I would generally agree with your statement, except that there are cards marked sample across which collectors may run into so I added it to the list as an additional explanatory term. You are free to disregard it.

Has anyone mentioned the "Prototype Card", which is a term I have also heard before? I don't think it was a "Sample" or "Promo" because it wasn't publicly distributed. More like a "Test Card", another term I have heard mentioned. Cards that were developed, but never actually produced in any number or widely distributed. Some of these terms are very loosey-goosey and synonymous to each other, so which ae official terms is up to the complier.

Here's two words that have kind of become terms used in connection with trading cards. I don't know if they should be included, but they are familiar.

Backdoor - The mysterious way that unreleased and/or limited cards manage to make it out into the marketplace or into the hands of select sellers in large numbers.

Vault - Another word for stored inventory or unreleased inventory, usually referring to cards held by the manufacturer for future products or replacements.

Hi Raven,

Yes, I added it a few days ago with this definition:

"A prototype is sometimes synonymous with "promo" in that it is a card given away in some way but a prototype tends to lack any obvious advertising text. A prototype is generally the originally-designed or otherwise early version of a card from the base set which may or may not be what the finished, released card ends up looking exactly like. It may or may not be marked as a "prototype." The only difference might be just a slight rearrangement or minor rewrite of text on the back or a difference in color of the text or the card might not be numbered."

Of course, a prototype can be an early version of a chase card as well.

"Vault" and "backdoor" are applicable to other hobbies. I think Ed wants a glossary of card collecting terms in particular but he might want some that cross hobbies too to aid the novice to collectibles in general. Another sense of the word, "vault," can be a personal collection from which items enter but never leave (the collector who never trades nor sells).

Jess

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
Has anyone mentioned the "Prototype Card", which is a term I have also heard before? I don't think it was a "Sample" or "Promo" because it wasn't publicly distributed. More like a "Test Card", another term I have heard mentioned. Cards that were developed, but never actually produced in any number or widely distributed. Some of these terms are very loosey-goosey and synonymous to each other, so which ae official terms is up to the complier.

Here's two words that have kind of become terms used in connection with trading cards. I don't know if they should be included, but they are familiar.

Backdoor - The mysterious way that unreleased and/or limited cards manage to make it out into the marketplace or into the hands of select sellers in large numbers.

Vault - Another word for stored inventory or unreleased inventory, usually referring to cards held by the manufacturer for future products or replacements.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by catskilleagle:
Vault and "backdoor" are applicable to other hobbies. I think Ed wants a glossary of card collecting terms in particular but he might want some that cross hobbies too to aid the novice to collectibles in general. Another sense of the word, "vault," can be a personal collection from which items enter but never leave (the collector who never trades nor sells).

Jess

Hey Jess,

Yeah, there are many terms or commonly used words that crossover between different collectibles. Sometimes they mean the exact same thing and other times there are slight variances in meanings for certain items. For instance all Conditions use words like Mint, Near Mint and Excellent, but their meaning is based on what type of collectible you are discussing. Other words or terms listed like SRP, Suggested Retail Price, are going to be the same no matter what you are talking about.

I think if you are going to go through the trouble of compiling a card collector's dictionary of words and terms, you should be broader rather than narrower. Put in anything that is commonly used, even if its origin is more sports cards or comics, which are probably the most closely related hobbies to non-sport cards.

Put in Manufacturer terms too, as long as its something that appeared more than once and isn't just related to one title tie-in. Almost always better to have too much than too little.

Black Label is another term that has popped up in these forums when speaking of card grading. I think its a pristine grade from BGS and it gets a, wait for it, Black Label. Not sure if something like that should have its own entry.

And while I'm thinking about, what about those awful Scratch N Sniff cards, or whatever their official name is. They are in many kid's products. And the Hair Card hit, another great idea.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Raven,

So Ed, how are you doing compiling this update? If you complete it, please let us know. I wouldn't mind downloading it from here or your website.

I was just checking it out because we were talking about defining a "set" in another thread. Set Box is on the list, but not plain "set". Guess that could be another one to add if you can decide on a definition.

This is on my To Do List, and I'll definitely post here with the update.

Oh, how to define set? A group of cards with a similar theme?

I'm slogging though just how much manufacturer-specific terms I want to include. Found out Refractor is actually a trademarked term by Topps, so others have to make up new names like Prizm.

I figure I'll have some free time since I don't foresee any shows happening for several months. At this point I think we might be lucky to get the Fall shows in.

Ed