Non-Sports card definitions:
--- note: some definitions have more than one term and some terms have more than one definition---
Credit: Too many too list - lets just say the entire non-sport community, with special mention to Bill Defranzo, PCETodd, Ronbo, Jeff Allender and extra special mention to The Reighters and Non-Sport Update’s Card Talk.


Promotional Items:
(items which are generally provided free to distributors, retailers, at conferences and/or on the internet and with NSU® and other publications or products.)

Sell Sheet or Flyer: an 8 1/2 x 11 sized paper advertisement for a particular set, company, or other item such as action figures, and comic books.

Promo card: a vague term for a card which promotes something, can promote a comic book or an event as well as a card set. Most of the following terms can fall under the title "promo card".

Prototype: usually a copy of a base card or chase card proposed for the set with the word "Prototype" or "Proto" or "Sample" printed on the back

Promo sheet: similar to 4up and 9up panels, may also be an
oversized card or photo, may promote card sets, comic books or other items

Sample: a card usually from a base set, with the word "Sample" HAND stamped on the back

Press sheet: a full sheet of uncut cards (e.g. 11x10 - 110 card sheet)

Panel: a promotional item on card stock, larger than a card, (sometimes called "oversized promo)

2x3up panel: a panel that shows 6 cards on the front but promotional text on the back

2X2 press panel (see also 4up panel): a cut piece of a press sheet showing four cards, for example, Dart® was big on these with Vietnam and Paradigm® with Playboy®

1x4 press promo: a press panel which depicts 4 uncut promo cards in a row

4up Panel: a 4 card "sheet" of cards used to promote a set (may
or may not have individual card backs) - may also come in other variations of 3, 6, 9 and 12 cards - various terms apply for these such as "6up" or "uncut page" or "promo sheet"

Product premium: something gotten with the purchase of a product (often a food item) not necessarily limited to cards

Comic/mag inserts: May or may not promote something

Toy/action figure inserts: rarely promote - may have a picture of the toy as opposed to the character or item referred to

Preview Set: a small set of cards (usually 6 or 9) used by the card companies to gauge interest in a set - these are sold, not freebies


Regular Non-promotional items/card types and terms:
(pulled from packs or purchased in boxed sets not manufacturer specific):

Base card/set, common card/set: the "meat" of a card set - usually the cheapest version of card, set sizes vary greatly, found in each pack of cards – contains all of the numbers, or if unnumbered, all of the different pictures for a specific title. A set generally includes no chase cards.

Box(ed) set: a pre-packaged set of common cards, occasionally with premium level inserts sold directly as a full set, not necessarily including a box, some recent "boxed" sets have been sold in plastic wrap with a binder/folder included

Factory set: similar to “boxed set” except that they are also sold in “pack” form

Subscription set: a set sold via the mail usually by subscription – often comes weekly or monthly with a few cards (or one) at a time – a recent example it the Topps® 2005 World News set

Variation: a card or sticker with more than one picture, title or story line appearing on the same number. Also applies to autographs and costume cards with varying colors or other such differences.

Pack-Pulled: any card which is pulled from a pack

Reprint: something which was previously printed that is printed again. It may be an old set done by a different manufacturer or a current set for which not enough were printed the first time.

Oversized card: larger than the average 2-1/2" x 3-1/2" card.

Panoramic or Gameday Card: a card which is longer than the standard size, usually 2-1/2” x 4” – the most commonly used term is Widevision™, even though it is a Topps® specific phrase

Single: a general term used to denote a leftover base card which is not used to make up a set.

Incentive card: a recent term used to describe a card given as a bonus to those who purchase a certain amount of product (case and multi case being the most common)

Insert or chase card: a highly general term for a higher level card that may not be found in every pack with varying degrees of rarity

All the following terms are types of “chase” or “insert” cards

(Some terms were specifically from certain companies and have fallen into disuse)

Parallel card: usually a "nicer" version of a base card usually found 1 per pack, with some exceptions, may have the same number as the base set

Box loader or case loader: terms often used to describe a card which is not inside a pack but are inside a sealed box or sealed case. Case loaders typically are in top loaders.

Redemption card: a card inserted in a pack which can be sent away for something from the manufacturer (typically an autograph or costume card, but not always)

Sketch card: a hand drawn card from an artist

Pack-Pulled Sketch card: a hand drawn card from an artist which is on card stock matching the set it is released with which has been pulled from the pack and not modified in any way

Aftermarket Sketch: a sketch card which has been drawn or redrawn after the product is released on card stock matching the set

Commissioned Sketch: a sketch card drawn by an artist on a blank card, usually at the behest of a collector, not part of any card set release, may also be on artists custom sketch card stock

Pack-Pulled Autograph card: a hand signed card from an actor, director, artist, etc typically with a signing section on the front, but there are exceptions – distributed in packs

Autograph card: any card hand-signed by a person connected to the image or set the card is from after the card has been removed from the pack, may be an actor, director, artist, even costume designer

Cel or cell card: recently very popular, (see also “Reel card”)

Contest card: any card which can be sent away to be win an item – these are NOT guarantees like redemption cards.

Costume card: a card with a piece of material from actor, show or movie featured on the card set - there are several variations of this recently such as “prop” card or "memorabilia” card and Inkwork’s® own the trademark “Piecework™” card

Chromium card: has a debossed, foil background and is laminated with a sheet laminator.

Embossed foil card: has a raised image printed on foil.

Hologram: a specialty card in which the design becomes three-dimensional when the card is moved (or sometimes when you move your eyes).

Holithogram: a combination of a foil-printed card and a hologram.

Lenticular hologram: a 3-D lens is glued to the card in order to produce different images with depth.

Lithogram: a specialty card with a holographic background and lithography on the foreground.

Medallion card: a specialty card which has art different from other cards in the set on the front and a graphic of a medallion on the back.

Merchandise or Offer card: any card which can be sent away for an item for a price, not free like contest or redemption cards

Model-imaging hologram: a model rather than line art is used to form the print image, in order to provide a deeper three dimensional effect.

Motion card: any card which, when tilted or exposed to light at different angles, the image appears to move

Multi-image hologram: more than one image may be viewed when the card is moved (or sometimes when you move your eyes).

Opti-prism: a specialty card containing a reflective prismatic background which gives an optical illusion of a sky full of fireworks.

Pop-Up card: image becomes three-dimensional when a tab is pulled or slides out.

Prism: specialty card containing a design which refracts light.

Proscenium hologram: specialty card which has multi-images which change.

Puzzle Card: a card which, when combined with other cards, forms a picture, can be on the front or back

Reel Card: features a piece of film cell embedded in a "Window" in the card (see also “Cel card”)

Spectra card: has a foil background which seems to reflect and project a continuous sense of colors.

Stickers: usually have a paper backing which can be removed leaving a sticky portion.

Thermofoil card: light embossing on a foil surface for which heat plays an important part in creating the effect.

Manufacturer Specific Terms:

(Many of these are similar or the same as some of the card terms above, the manufacturers just “name” them something else)

Photocards™: Inkworks® term for oversized cards, about the size of a postcard

Piecework™ card: Inkwork’s® term for a costume or prop card

Wiggle™ cards: Skybox® term for a lenticular card.

Artifex™: Rittenhouse® term for “chase card” prints of sketched or painted artwork

Sketchafex™: Rittenhouse® term for sketch cards produces by them

Clearzone™: Topps® term for a card with a translucent and chromium finish

Matrix card™: Topps® term for a specialty card combining the visual effects of holography and etched-foil cards. They are prismatic with a sense of animation in some portions.

Mastervision™: a Topps specific term for large oversized cards 6”x9” – mostly for certain sets in the mid-nineties

Widevision™ card: Topps® term for a panoramic 2-1/2” x 4” card

Flipz™: Artbox® term for their 2” x 2” cards (also ActionFlipz™)

SpectraScope™: Comic Images® term - see the definition for spectra card and add a 3-D image coming off the background.

Optigram™: Comic Images® term for a hologram with depth and movement.

MagniChrome™: Comic Images® term for chromium card which you can actually feel the embossing.

Holochrome™: Comic Images® term for a chromium card with a holographic, foil background (see definitions for chromium card and hologram).

SkyDisc™: Skybox® term for a top-of-the-line hologram which when held under direct light causes the image to become multi-sided and appear to be standing up.

Metallic Storm™: FPG® term for a specialty card which is similar to a spectra card but a special printing process allows for the stamping of various (rather than specific) areas.

Packaging Terms:

Pack (see also Wax, Cello and Rack Pack): Basic distribution type for non-sports cards – can be foil, plastic or wax and contain any number of base cards with a chance at getting a chase or insert card if the set includes them

Wax pack: a wrapper with a waxy finish having cards or stickers inside.

Cello pack: a wrapper made of cellophane, either plain or with a picture on it, with crimped edges and having cards or stickers inside.

Rack Pack: mixed common cards occasionally with a chase card which are in a plastic/cello wrapper expressly made for hanging on pegs in stores – may have 1 or more than one section holding the cards – the typical rack pack has 2 or 3 sections

Blister Pack: may contain packs or single cards on cardboard covered by a hard plastic suitable for hanging on pegboard – similar to the way many toys are packaged

Box: display box, sealed by the manufacturer which contains packs, generally for resale, most boxes contain 24, 36 or 40 packs

Case: holds as many display boxes as manufacturer packs into it. Most cases contain 10 to 24 boxes.

X-out: an unopened box with magic marker black lines on the lid, indicating the item is a return.

Printing Definitions:

Full-bleed: indicates the picture is not surrounded by borders and completely goes to the card edges.

Error: a card or sticker which is changed due to a mistake on the original printing.

Other Terms:

S.A.S.E: refers to a Self-Addresses Stamped Envelope