Glossary

Box Configurations

Hobby
A configuration where there is a chance to pull any card that is part of the product, in the box (except for retail or blaster exclusive parallels(!)). This configuration contains all inserts, parallels and easter eggs as well as the base set. The odds of pulling a rare card is typically higher than in the other configurations and the boxes are typically more expensive. For example, here is the difference in availability and pack odds for base set shortprints and parallels in 2023-24 OPC

Retail
A configuration with less chance of pulling rare cards than hobby, and with most of the very rare cards not even being in the product. Typically cheaper per pack than a hobby box.

Blaster
A version of retail that comes in a smaller format, with fewer packs than a full retail box. Sometimes has Blaster-exclusive parallels, but other than that most often has the same odds and content as a retail product. 

Fat Pack
A version of retail that comes with alot more base cards per pack, but with a worse ratio of inserts and parallels. Perfect for base-set collectors. Often the cheapest price per card-option.


Cards

Base set / Base cards
A card that is part of the main set of cards in the product. For example, 2023-24 OPC has a 600 card base set, comprising 500 base cards, 40 shortprinted "All-Stars" cards and 60 shortprinted "Marquee Rookies Cards"

Shortprint
A card with a more limited print run than the regular base cards

High Series
"High series" is sometimes used in some products to denote a part of the base set that are shortprints

Parallel
A version of another card in the product (base or insert) that looks differently than the regular version of the card. Most often the parallel has a more limited print run than the regular version of the card (meaning it is more rare. For example, the Marquee Rookie cards in 2023-24 OPC has the following (announced) parallels:

Insert
An insert is a card that is not part of the base set. For example, in addition to the 600 card base set in 2023-24 OPC, the product has a wide range of insert sets. One of the more common being the OPC Premiers, which fall 1 in 6 packs in hobby boxes. These have a separate checklist of 100 different cards (separate from the base set), and every card also has a unique parallel numbered to 75 (Diamond Rainbow)

Rookie Card / RC
A rookie card (or RC for short) is a card of a player, from his first eligeble season. In order to have a rookie card printed, a player must have played a minimum of 1 NHL games (skaters) or been dressed as a backup for a minimum of 1 NHL games (goalies). With all the products being produced, and all inserts and parallels in modern products, there are an enormous amount of different rookie cards hitting the market each year. Especially for the top rookies. Connor Bedard is estimated to have a total of over 1,000 different rookie cards across all UppderDeck 2023-24 products.

True Rookie Card
Every product has only one true rookie card. There is some ambiguity to the definition but the most common definition is that the true rookie card of the product must be part of the base set, and it can't be a parallel. For example, Connor Bedard has 36 different cards in his rookie season OPC release, but only one true rookie card - the base Marquee Rookie card.

Numbered card
Some cards that have a limited print run, has their print run and the individual print number of the card printed on the card itself. For example "029/299" means that this is the 29th printed card of a total of 299 cards in existence. When someone refers to a card as /99 it means the total print run is 99.

1-of-1
A card that is only printed in one copy. Essentially it could have been labeled as 001/001 as well (if you compare to the post "Numbered card" above). 

Easter Egg
Most products come with one or a few unanounced cards. These are cards that are not published on the official checklist, and typically have very limited print runs. They are there for collectors to find, and they are typically refered to as easter eggs. In 2023-24 OPC the 3D Marquee Rookie insert is disclosed on the checklist as 1 card in 864 packs. Previous years, this insert has been undisclosed and therefore an easter egg.


Memorabilia and autographed Cards

Memorabilia Card
A card which has a piece of memorabilia in it, for example a piece of a players jersey or stick

Jersey Card
A jersey card is a memorabilia card with a standard piece of fabric from a jersey in it, typically a one-colored piece

Patch card
A patch card is a memorabilia card with a piece of the jersey from something like a logo, name plate or number on the jersey. The patches are typically multi-colored.

RPA
Rookie Patch Auto. A rookie card that also has an autograph and a piece of a patch in it. 

Game-used/Game worn, Player worn, Manufactured
Memorabilia cards that contain memorabilia that a player has used or worn in an actual NHL game are labeled game-used or game-worn. A "player-worn" jersey typically means that the player has worn the jersey, but not during a game. Maybe for a photo shoot or media happening. Finally there are "Manufactured" meorabilia. If your card says "Manufactured" on the back, the memorabilia has never been used or worn by the featured player on the card.  "Game-worn" are typically most sought after.

Hard-Signed/On-card Auto
An autograph that is written directly on the actual card’s surface. This means the player has handled and written on the actual card.

Sticker Auto
An autograph written on a label, that is then placed on the card. The player has signed a sheet of stickers, and the card manufacturer then applies the stickers to the cards they choose.


Other special cards

Tech inserts/tech cards
A tech card is a card that is printed using special printing technology and/or materials. This can be cards of plexiglass, cards made to look like if they were made of leather or wood, or cards which have special light reflecting properties. These cards are often printed on thicker stock than the base set, and is most often considered by the manufacturer to be a "hit". There is debate in the hobby on this as some collectors dissagree and see them as a way to reduce the amount of autographed cards in a product while at the same time increasing print runs - clearly preferring to get an autographed card over a tech card. Other collectors find them beautiful and collect them.

Clear cut
A card printed on a piece of transparent plastic, instead of paper. Are sometimes confused with acetate cards. However, clearcut most often look just like the paper variant of the card. For example, Young Guns cards has both a clearcut parallel (that has the same design as the base Young Guns card, and an Acetate version, that has a different design where acetate stock is fused with paper stock). 

Acetate
A card printed on a piece of transparent plastic that's more like plexiglass, instead of paper. Are sometimes confused with clearcut cards but the card stock is different (often thicker and more steady, where clear cut feels thinner). Acetate cards also often have a design where the acetate stock is fused with paper stock, where as clear cut cards are typically all made of transparent plastic.

Printing plate
A metal plate that was used to print a card. They come in four colors; magenta, cyan, yellow and black. As there is only one plate of each color for each card, they are 1-of-1s.

Redemption
A redemption carries a code you can register with Upper Deck to claim your actual card. This is typically used when the intended card has not been produced in time for the release of the product. (this could for example be for a rookie that hasn't skated yet, or for a hardsigned autographed card that the player for some reason hasn't signed in time). The use of redemptions means Upper Deck can release the product even if all cards are not ready. For you, it means you need to register your redemption, wait for it to be sent to you (which can take many months) and pay VAT and customs fees for the shipment, if you live ouside North America. 

Young Guns
The name of the true rookie cards in Upper Decks flagship product; Series 1, Series 2, Extended Series. These are most likely the most collected NHL rookie cards of any new release (and the most overproduced).

Future Watch / Future Watch Auto / FWA / FWAP
Future Watch is the name of the true rookie cards in SP Authentic, possibly the second most collected modern rookie cards, after Young Guns cards. There are many parallels these days, as increased print runs calls for a need for more and more manufactured scarcity, but the true rc Future Watch is an autographed card (FWA for short) numbered to /999 where the first 100 cards have an inscription in addition to the autograph. There are also autographed patch parallels (FWAP).


Misceallaneous terms

Comps
Short for "comparison", meaning a price comparison with similar cards sold, used to establish the value of a card.

PC
Personal collection. Whatever you choose to collect is your PC. Some people PC one or several players, others PC a team and yet others are set builders or PC a single product or type of cards (such as Young Guns rookie cards). Some people PC combinations of all of the above. This is by far the most expensive choice possible. :-)

Checklist
A list of all announced cards in a specific product, and the odds of getting one in packs of different configurations. Typically published 10-14 days before actual release. You can find checklists on sites such as Beckett (find a link on the "useful links"-section of this site)

Release date
The first day of sales for a product. There is usually much speculation and anticipation  on when a certain product is set to release. Many card shops post estimated dates, as part of driving their pre-sales. It's worth remembering that the only one who actually knows the real release date is the manufacturer, up until the day that the checklist is published. This is usually 10-14 days before a release. 

Hits
Most products have cards that are more sought after than others. Typically inserts or parallels that are short printed compared to the base set. In a box or a pack, these are the hits of that box or pack. There is some ambiguity to what a "real" hit is. Some people only consider the really rare cards in a box, such as autographs, to be real hits. Others consider any none-base card in a pack to be a hit. Manufacturers sometimes print the amount of hits on the box. For example, in 2021-22 Artifacts, the box states there is 3 hits in a box. This includes only autographs, memorabilia cards and tech inserts, and excludes the rookie cards, numbered parallels, other inserts and clear cuts.

CoA
Certificate of Authenticity. A text on the back of autograph and memorabilia cards that certifies to the buyer that the autograph and/or memorabilia is authentic.

Lot
A collection of several cards, often used when several cards are sold as one item. For example, a "Bruins-lot" consisting of several Bruins-cards.

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