Trading Card Hobby Acronyms & Abbreviations

A quick reference for common hobby terms.

Card collectors use a lot of abbreviations. This list is here to make what you're reading a little easier to understand.

General & Community

RAK Random Act of Kindness (usually gifting a card or cards)
HOF Hall of Fame
LCS Local Card Store / Local Card Shop
PC Personal Collection
PM Private Message
OP Original Poster (on forums or Reddit)

Buying, Selling & Trading

B/S/T Buy / Sell / Trade
ISO In Search Of
WTB Want To Buy
WTS Want To Sell
WTT Want To Trade
FT For Trade
FS For Sale
OBO Or Best Offer
BIN Buy It Now
QTY Quantity
TV Trade Value
COMPS Comparables (recent sold prices used to determine value)

Payments

F&F Friends & Family (PayPal payment method with no purchase protection)
G&S Goods & Services (PayPal payment method with purchase protection)

Shipping

PWE Plain White Envelope
BMWT Bubble Mailer with Tracking
ESE eBay Standard Envelope
TL Toploader

Releases

FOTL 1st Off the Line (products released in Dutch auction format on the Panini website ahead of the normal release date)

Card Types & Designations

RC Rookie Card
RPA Rookie Patch Autograph
AUTO / AU Autograph
REL / MEM Relic / Memorabilia card
1/1 One of One (unique card)
SP Short Print
SSP Super Short Print
RP Reprint
PR Prospect
VAR Variation
DP Draft Pick
ERR Error Card
UER Uncorrected Error (an error card with no corrected version)
NNO No Number
NNOF No Name On Front
OC Off Center
ACEO Art Card, Editions & Originals (artist-made cards, not from major manufacturers)

Grading Companies & Terms

PSA Professional Sports Authenticator
BGS Beckett Grading Services
SGC Sportscard Guaranty
CGC Certified Guaranty Company
POP Population (how many cards exist with the same grade from the same company)
GEM / GEM MT Gem Mint (typically a PSA 10)
NM Near Mint
EX Excellent

Autograph Requests

TTM Through The Mail (requesting autographs from current or former players by mail)

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