What Makes a Trading Card? A Beginner’s Guide to Card Types

By: A Rookie Collector

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Discovering what card collecting is all about, a rookie’s path to becoming a collector.

After diving into the rich history surrounding trading cards and coming out the other end with newfound awe (read here), it’s time I learn what exactly is on these small paperstocks. Obviously anyone who has seen a sports card can figure out they usually include a player’s photo and some information about the aforementioned, but what other aspects make them such diverse collecting objects. 

To start my investigative mission, I scoured the Ludex office for some examples of these intriguing collectibles. It wasn’t long before I was given privy to a small stack. Upon trifling through this foreign pile I discovered some interesting things.  

Each card is either in a thick plastic box, or a plastic sleeve. I gathered that this must be to protect them from scratches and marks, but is this also a clue into the worth of each item? Besides this new inquiry, I was additionally shocked to find out that in some cases cards contain more than just a photo. For example here I am looking at a Brennan Davis card with an “authentic signature & player-worn patch” included inside. The mystery of these little squares seems never ending. 

Besides the patch and player name, there was not much else on this card. I decided to ask the collector himself why he keeps this particular card in his possession. He simply answered “Because I am a cubs fan.” Hmm not much to go off there. I did however then realise that most of the cards in the pile featured Chicago Cubs players, so I guess that is the common theme here. 

The next card that stood out to me piqued my interest because of its reflective coloring and shine. I wondered if that makes it a “quote, unquote” more valuable card, so I did some digging. 

Apparently these reflective cards, more commonly referred to as “refractor cards,” are worth more due to the fact that they have a unique aesthetic appeal and are printed in limited quantities.  Subsequent to discovering a list of different types of cards to guide my learning, I found out the following. 

The Main Types of Trading Cards

The first type is a base card. It is pretty much what it sounds like, the standard, most common cards in any given set. They feature basic designs with no special embellishments. “Why would anyone want these then?” I asked myself. The answer being they are essential to anyone aiming to complete a set. 

The next type identified is a rookie card. Out of a player’s full career, their rookie card seems to be the one most sought after. Supposedly there is debate on what makes a “true” rookie card. It seems the card must be licensed by the sports league and include an RC logo. Yet I also found that it may not necessarily be a true rookie card even if it has an RC logo. Make up your mind card people! It appears the rule of thumb for these is to look for a player’s very first base card in a major, fully-licensed flagship set, not a special insert, autograph, or parallel. 

Now, if you are wondering what in the world is a special insert, autograph or parallel, so was I. To keep it short and snappy for both of our sakes, here are some quick definitions. 

• Insert cards: Cards randomly placed in packs that are not part of the base set. They often included unique features that set them apart. 
• Variation cards: Cards that share the same numbering and general design as a regular card, but feature intentional differences. 
• Parallel cards: Feature the same design and photograph as the base card, but with different borders, colors, or finishes. 
• Autographed: Although admittedly this is self explanatory these bear the player’s signature either by way of a sticker or directly on the card. 
• Relic cards: This is the type of card I first noticed above. Memorabilia, jersey, or relic

 For even more niche types of cards read here.

Spotting a Variation in the Wild

After learning more, I identified what I thought might be a variation card in the pile I was examining. I saw that it included the nickname “Tony” which wasn’t a frequent feature on many of the other cards. It also had a unique style, with the players name decoratively displayed rather than plainly on the bottom of the image.  By scanning it through the Ludex app, I found out it was a variation of the 2018 Topps Big League Anthony Rizzo card. I searched up the parallel and base versions of the one I possessed to compare. 

From left to right, the first photo is the original base card, the next is the parallel, and the last is the variation I picked out. 

Eventually I asked the collector which one of these would be the most valuable and I was informed that none of them are. This threw me for a loop. It seems there is much more to learn on what specifically makes each card valuable aside from the general type they are. Follow along as I learn more. 

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