What Do Numbers on Sports Cards Mean?
The numbers on a sports card either mean it’s just that card’s number in the set, or it’s a serial number, meaning the card has a limited print run and the number indicates how many there are. For example, a #4/10 would mean that there are 10 of those cards, and you have #4.
We’ll get to serial numbers next.
Here’s what it looks like if the number is simply indicating its place in the set:
In this case, the #16 is his jersey number, while the #32 is the card number of this set.
Also, you’ll often find letters with numbers on the back of an insert to indicate the set it’s a part of:
That’s my Kobe from the Upper Deck “Motion Pictures” insert set.
What Are Serial Numbered Sports Cards?
Serial numbered cards have a defined limited run, which will be stamped (or sometimes written) on the card. They usually show up in the format of #/# with the bottom number being the total number printed and the top number being the number that yours is.
These cards are often highly sought after as collectors can know exactly how rare a card is:
Of course, the lower the print run, the more rare and valuable the card will be…
If you’re REALLY lucky, here’s what most 1/1 cards look like:
Often, collectors will pay a premium for certain numbers in a set! The best example is when the serial number matches the jersey number. This can result in a 10%-15% bump, depending on the collector.
For iconic jersey numbers (Jordan with 23 or Kobe with 8 or 24), the bump can be much greater. For example, a Jordan numbered 23/23 or a Kobe numbered 8/24 could potentially double the value of a card!
You can also see small bumps for the first or last card in the numbered set.
What Are Inserts in Sports Cards
The inserts in sports cards are rarer cards that aren’t part of the regular base set, have a different design, and almost always include a limited number of players.
Inserts can range from less valuable than base cards to being highly valuable and coveted. This depends on the design and the rarity.
For example, the majority of inserts from the 90s aren’t worth much today—even if it’s a good player. Jordan and Kobe are exceptions, but even most of their inserts are a couple of dollars.
However, there are a few that are still highly sought after, such as the Beam Team:
Or even today, the Kaboom insert set from Panini Absolute:
What Does Coining a Card Mean?
Coining a card is a way of authenticating that you own the card and have it in your possession. Usually you take a picture of the card with a paper stating the date and your name on it. This is to prevent someone from taking a photo off the internet and pretending to own the card themselves.
In the past, people would put a coin next to their card and take a picture, however this has been largely replaced with a piece of paper with name and date.
What Does Parallel Mean in Trading Cards?
Parallels are variations of base cards where they look the same, except for they’ll have a different color or finish to them. The most famous parallels are silvers, especially Prizm silvers, and these carry a premium over the regular base set.
In today’s card market, parallels have become increasingly common, with sets like Prizm and Select. NFL Prestige is well known for their litany of numbered parallels. The rarest parallels carry a HUGE premium and are highly sought after—especially for rookie cards.
In sets like Prizm, collectors will often chase the “rainbow” of their favorite player by collecting every color variant.
What Does Wax Mean in Sports Cards?
Wax refers to unopened packs of sports cards. These could be boxes or cases as well, but “wax” comes from when card packs literally were made of wax. These were typically the standard wrapping until 1992 when Topps switched over to plastic packaging.
What is BV in Sports Cards?
BV stands for “Book Value” which is the listed price found in guides. For a long time, Beckett pricing was the authority and the go-to for collectors and shop owners when selling cards. Beckett’s price guides still exist, but the most common way now is to look at recently sold comps on eBay.
You can read my guide to pricing cards here!
What Does HOF Mean on Baseball Cards?
HOF means Hall of Fame. This is commonly seen on eBay listings (or on other sites) to try to generate more interest in a card. You’ll also see things like “All-Star,” “Rookie,” or “Future HOFer” as well.
What Does Pop Mean in Sports Cards?
Pop typically refers to the population count of a card’s graded version by a certain company. Cards with high pop counts typically see depressed values while cards with low pop count (of good cards) will carry a premium because of their rarity.
Pop counts are determined individually by each grading company. For obvious reasons, on PSA’s site, you can see how many PSA 10s, 9s, and so on there are for each card.
The most popular pop report is most certainly PSA. Other companies often don’t have the volume to have a meaningful pop report because they just haven’t graded enough.
Pop can also refer to when a collector finds out the grades of cards they’ve sent in. They will refer to as their grades have “popped.” This term is probably a variant of population report, meaning that their card has been added to that company’s pop report and they can now see the grade.
What is BMWT in Sports Cards?
Bubble mailer with tracking. Clearly this can refer to shipping anything small, but it’s prevalent in the card world. Because collectors often ship expensive things, the buyer may request that the card is sent with a little more protection and a way to monitor where it is.
Another way to ship cheaper cards is on eBay using eBay Standard Envelope. You can ship cards under $20 in value using a plain white envelope (PWE). I sell most of my cards this way with great success.
You can read my complete guide here: How to Send Sports Cards With PWE Shipping Through eBay