TCG Glossary

A plain-English reference for every term you'll encounter collecting and trading Pokémon cards — from condition grades to card variants to grading companies.

1 A B C D E F G H I L M N P R S T U W

1

1st Edition

The first print run of a set. Identified by a small '1st Edition' stamp on the card. Base Set 1st Edition cards are among the most valuable in the hobby. Extremely rare to find today in NM condition.

A

Alt Art

Alternate Art, a variant of a card featuring different artwork from the standard version. Usually rarer and more valuable than the base print.

B

BGS

Beckett Grading Services, one of the major card grading companies. Unique for its sub-grades (centering, corners, edges, surface). A BGS 9.5 is considered equivalent to PSA 10 by many collectors.

Bulk

Common or low-value cards sold in large quantities. Usually worth less than $0.50 each and sold by the lot.

C

CardMarket

The largest European marketplace for trading card games. Prices are listed in EUR. TCGCensus converts CardMarket prices to USD at the current EUR/USD rate.

CGC

Certified Guaranty Company, a grading company offering competitive pricing for authenticated and graded cards. Growing recognition in the Pokémon market.

Centering

The alignment of the card image within the card border. Poor centering (e.g., 70/30) is a common reason cards fail to achieve PSA 10. Expressed as a ratio like 55/45 (left/right and top/bottom).

D

DMG

Damaged. The worst condition tier. Cards with creases, tears, heavy staining, or structural damage. Also written as D. TCGPlayer condition abbreviation.

E

EV (Expected Value)

The average value of a booster pack based on the probability of pulling each card and its current market price. Use our Pack EV Calculator on any set page.

F

Full Art

A card where the illustration extends to the edges of the card with no border. Typically rarer and more sought-after than standard prints.

G

Gold Star

A rare Pokémon card variant from the EX era (2005–2007) featuring a gold star next to the Pokémon's name, indicating a Shiny (alternate color) Pokémon. One of the most sought-after vintage variants.

H

Holo

Holographic. Refers to cards with a foil holo pattern on the card's artwork. The rarity symbol (star/diamond) determines the actual rarity tier. Standard holos have a starfield or similar pattern behind the artwork.

HP (Condition)

Heavily Played, a TCGPlayer condition tier. Cards with significant scratching, scuffing, creasing, or other damage but still structurally intact. Below MP, above DMG.

I

Illustration Rare

Introduced in the Scarlet & Violet era. A full-illustration card variant similar to Character Rares. Usually depicts a Pokémon in a scenic or dynamic environment.

L

LP

Lightly Played, a TCGPlayer condition tier. Card shows minor wear: light scuffs, slight edge wear, minor whitening on corners. Looks good but not perfect.

M

MP

Moderately Played, a TCGPlayer condition tier. Noticeable wear: multiple scuffs, visible scratches, moderate edge wear, light creasing. Still tournament-legal.

Market Price

The average price of recent completed sales on TCGPlayer, weighted by volume. This is the price TCGCensus displays by default. It reflects what cards are actually selling for, not just listed for.

N

NM

Near Mint, the highest condition tier on TCGPlayer. Card appears unplayed with no visible wear. The standard condition for buying investment-grade cards.

P

Pop Report

Short for Population Report. PSA and other grading companies publish how many copies of each card have been graded at each grade level. Low pop at PSA 10 drives premium prices.

PSA

Professional Sports Authenticator, the most recognized card grading company. PSA grades use a 1-10 scale. A PSA 10 is the most liquid and highest-premium graded card on the market.

Pull Rate

The probability of pulling a specific card from a booster pack. Usually expressed as 1-in-X packs (e.g., 1 in 72 packs). Lower pull rates = rarer cards. See our Pack EV Calculator for set-specific rates.

R

Reverse Holo

A card where the holo foil pattern appears on the card background rather than the artwork. Most sets include a reverse holo print of every common and uncommon card.

S

Secret Rare

Cards beyond the set's printed total (e.g., 202/200). Usually the rarest cards in a set, including Full Arts, Rainbow Rares, and Special Illustration Rares.

Shadowless

An early print variant of Base Set cards with no drop shadow on the card artwork box. Printed immediately after 1st Edition, before the standard Unlimited print. More valuable than Unlimited, less than 1st Edition.

Special Illustration Rare

Abbreviated SIR. The highest rarity tier in modern Scarlet & Violet sets. Full-illustration cards featuring Pokémon and trainers together. Usually the chase cards of a set.

T

TAG

Trophy Authentication & Grading, a newer grading company with faster turnarounds and competitive pricing. Featured in TCGCensus's Grading ROI Calculator. Uses a 7-10 scale.

TCGPlayer

The largest US marketplace for buying and selling trading cards. Prices are set by individual sellers. TCGCensus uses TCGPlayer market prices as the primary price reference.

U

Unlimited

The standard, unlimited print run of a set, as opposed to 1st Edition. Base Set Unlimited cards have the drop shadow and no 1st Edition stamp. Still valuable, but less so than 1st Edition or Shadowless.

W

Wantlist

A list of cards a collector is looking to acquire. TCGCensus's Wishlist feature lets you save cards you want and receive price drop alerts.