Pokémon Card Glossary (Turkish edition)
We put this glossary together to explain the terms you meet most often in the Pokémon TCG world. It is a quick reference for everyone, from brand new collectors to experienced players.
Core Concepts
Chase Card
Usually the card with the highest market value and the lowest pull chance in a set. It is the card collectors chase hardest.
Pull Rate Pull odds
The probability that expresses how many booster packs you open on average before you hit a given set slot or card.
Pull & Hit
A general expression for the valuable or rare cards that come out of a booster pack.
Double Banger
Two hit cards coming out of a single booster pack. One of the most exciting moments in collecting.
Secret Card
Special cards numbered beyond the main set list while still belonging to that set. You can tell them apart from the number format at the bottom of the card.
Bulk
Handling low-rarity cards as a single lot. It is also used for mixed bulk sales or trades.
Product and Set Terms
Booster Pack
In English sets these packs usually hold 10 cards, though the count varies on some products. In Japanese sets it is normally 6.
Booster Box
English products usually contain 36 booster packs. Japanese products are normally around 20 packs. No booster box is produced for the special set category.
Special Set
These are special sets. Their most obvious trait is that they are not sold in booster box format. Collector interest is usually higher.
Era Period
Every Pokémon set belongs to a specific era. Scarlet & Violet is an example of the current one.
First Edition
Cards from the first print run of a set. It is used sparingly in modern sets and appears far more often in vintage ones.
Vintage
The expression used for cards and sets from older eras.
Rarity and Collecting Terms
SIR / SAR Special Illustration Rare
Usually among the rarest cards in a set. The texture on the card surface is pronounced. The English side uses SIR, the Japanese side SAR.
IR / AR
One of the higher rarity tiers in a set; in most cases it is treated as one step below SIR/SAR.
Texture
The special surface layer you can feel with your fingers or see clearly in the light.
Alt Art
The common name, in the eras before Scarlet & Violet, for rare cards with special artwork inside the main set.
God Pack
A single pack that yields more than one top-tier hit (for example IR/SIR). On the English side it was talked about most around Pokémon 151. It does not exist in every set and official odds are rarely published. Japanese special sets normally do include god packs.
Protection and Valuation
Graded Card / Slab
Grading is the process where an authorised company assesses and scores a card condition. Afterwards the card comes back sealed in a protective plastic case with a certificate number. The result is called a graded card or a slab.
Sleeve
A protective cover that shields the card from dust, friction and scratches. A Penny Sleeve is roomier and quicker to use, while a Fit Sleeve hugs the card more closely.
Conclusion
This glossary is here to help you grasp the core concepts you meet in Pokémon TCG content faster. It will be updated regularly as new terms are added.