← Glossary

Card types & finishes

Short print (SP)

Also called: SP, short prints

A short print, or SP, is a card printed in deliberately smaller quantities than the rest of the set, making it harder to pull. Super short prints (SSP) are rarer still.

Manufacturers print some cards at lower quantities on purpose, so they fall in packs less often. A short print is often a photo variation of a base card, a different image using the same card number, which can make them easy to miss if you are not looking.

The next tier up is the super short print, or SSP, which is scarcer again.

Why it matters: short prints are a built-in chase. Because they are not always serial numbered, their true scarcity is learned from the community, and a desirable SP of a star can sell well beyond the base card.

This glossary is a plain-language reference for collectors, not financial or purchasing advice. Card values move, so always check recent sales before you buy or sell.

Related terms

Super short print (SSP)A super short print, or SSP, is an even rarer short print, among the scarcest cards pulled from a product. SSPs are frequently photo variations and are a top chase in many sets.VariationA variation is a card that shares a base card's number but uses a different photo or design element, usually printed as a short print. Variations are a common way sets hide a chase.Case hitA case hit is a card so rare it averages about one per sealed case of boxes. Case hits are among the biggest pulls in a product.Serial numberedA serial numbered card is stamped with its place in a limited print run, such as 25/99, meaning the 25th of only 99 made. Lower print runs mean greater scarcity.