Hobby Lingo Glossary and Learning Tool - From Tangiers
🧾 Hobby Lingo Glossary & Learning Tool
Search for a term to quickly find definitions and build your sports card knowledge.
🔢 Grading Terms
| PSA | Industry-leading card grading company. PSA grades on a scale from 1 to 10. |
| BGS | Beckett Grading Services with subgrades like corners and centering. |
| SGC | Vintage-friendly grader using a 1–10 scale. |
| Gem Mint | A perfect or near-perfect card (PSA 10, BGS 9.5+). |
| Pop Report | Total graded population for a card at a specific grade. |
| Slab | Card encased in tamper-proof plastic after grading. |
🏷️ Card Types & Features
| RC (Rookie Card) | The first official card of a player’s career. |
| RPA | Rookie Patch Auto — includes player-worn patch and autograph. |
| Auto | Card signed by the athlete (on-card or sticker). |
| SP/SSP | Short Print or Super Short Print — rare card runs. |
| Insert | Themed cards found randomly in packs. |
| Parallel | Base card variant with color/foil differences. |
| Refractor | Shiny, rainbow-like finish used in Chrome/Optic. |
| Numbered (#/XX) | Limited print with a serial number (e.g., #12/99). |
💬 Marketplace Slang
| Comp | Comparable recent sale — used for pricing. |
| Raw | Ungraded card. |
| Slab Cracking | Removing a card from its graded case. |
| PC | Personal Collection — not for sale. |
| GOAT | Greatest of All Time — e.g., Jordan or Brady. |
💼 Sales & Investment Terms
| Flip | Buy low, sell high — short-term investment. |
| Hold | Keep a card long-term anticipating value growth. |
| Wax | Unopened product (packs/boxes/cases). |
| Break | Shared group opening of sealed product. |
| Spot | Position in a group break (often by team). |
| Case Hit | Rare card found approximately once per sealed case. |
🔄 Collector Behavior
| Chasing | Trying to find a specific high-value card. |
| Set Building | Collecting all cards in a series or subset. |
| Rainbowing | Getting every color parallel of one card. |
| Prospecting | Investing in young players before they’re stars. |
| Grade Gemming | Submitting raw cards for grading with the goal of getting high marks. |