PSA Glossary
Sports Lingo
Like all collectibles, the sports memorabilia market has its own terms and slang. The following is a brief definition and explanation of the most frequently used sports collecting terms.
Note:This is a work in progress and we would love to hear your comments and suggestions. Send your thoughts to [email protected].
| name tag |
| | The tag which is placed on the inside of the uniform, and usually states the player’s name and uniform measurements. |
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| National |
| | The National Sports Collectors Convention is by far the largest and most attended show of the year. The first national took place in 1980 in Los Angeles, California. |
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| National Chicle |
| | A one-time manufacturer of sports cards. They are most well known for their 1935 football issue. They also manufactured the well-known Diamond Stars set. |
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| NBA |
| | Abbreviation for the National Basketball Association. |
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| Near Mint (NM 7) |
| | A card that has very few flaws. The corners may show some light wear, centering may be no worse than 75/25, and no major flaws should be apparent. |
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| Near Mint-Mint (NM-MT 8) |
| | A card in this condition may appear to be mint at first glance, but may have slight wear on the corners. Centering may be no worse than 70/30. |
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| Nineteenth Century |
| | Memorabilia that dates back to the 1800's. |
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| NM |
| | Short for Near Mint. |
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| NM-MT |
| | Short for Near Mint – Mint. |
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| no hitter |
| | A game in which a pitcher completes the game without allowing a hit. Nolan Ryan has seven and is the record-holder to date. |
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| non-sport |
| | Short for “non-sport card.” |
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| non-sport card |
| | A card that pictures a topic other than sports. Entertainers, movies, and TV shows are among the more popular. |
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| notching |
| | A card-grading term used to describe indentations along the edge of a card, sometimes caused by a rubber band. Notching decreases a card's value. |
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