Updated: 2026-10-17
In sports cards (soccer, NBA, F1), what makes a card worth more is usually in these words: rookie (the player's first year), numbered (/99, /25, 1/1), parallel (another color of the same card), refractor or Prizm (shiny finish), autograph and relic or patch (with a piece of jersey). Knowing them is knowing which card you have.
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Base | The regular version of the card, the most common. |
| Rookie (RC) | The card from the player's first year in the main set. Usually the most wanted. See what a rookie card is. |
| Parallel | The same card in another color or finish, scarcer than the base. |
| Refractor / Prizm | Rainbow-like shiny finish. Many colors, each with its own print run. |
| Numbered (/99, /25…) | Has its serial number printed: 15/99 is copy 15 of 99. The lower the run, the scarcer. |
| 1/1 | A one-of-one: only one exists. The most valuable. |
| Insert | A card from a special subset inside the product, different from the base. |
| SP / SSP | Short print and super short print: cards that fall less often without being numbered. |
| Autograph (auto) | Signed. "On-card" if signed on the card itself; "sticker" if on a sticker. |
| Relic / patch | Contains a piece of jersey or other material. A patch (several colors, logo) is worth more than plain fabric. |
| Case hit | So rare it falls about once per case (a box of boxes). |
| Encased | Comes from the factory inside a hard case. |
| Redemption | A voucher: the card is claimed from the manufacturer with the code. |
Two cards that look the same can be worth very different amounts: the base and its /10 parallel of the same player have nothing to do with each other. When you look up your card's price, note the parallel and the numbering. Look it up in our prices.