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Collecting Tip Let your card shop know when you pulled a good card - tip from www.cheapseatscards.com
Frequently Asked Question What is an insert set? Insert sets are planned short prints within a production run that generally have more technology and excitement surrounding them. Inserts can have ratios anywhere from 1 card from an insert set found per pack all the way up to a "1 of 1," which means just one of those cards exist.
Ratios indicate how often cards from insert sets are scheduled to fall in a given pack of cards (generally printed on the pack or box) with numbers like "1:28," which would mean 1 card of the insert set listed would fall in every 28 packs.
The total number of insert cards within a given insert set also help dictate how random and difficult it will be for collectors to find. Therefore, if a 10-card insert set is going to be inserted 1:28, then it would take a collector on average 280 packs (10 multiplied by the insert ratio 28) to find a specific card from that insert set or to complete the entire insert set. How much harder is it to complete an insert set of 20 cards at the same 1:28 ratio? If you answered “twice as hard,” then you’ve got it.
Several different insert sets generally exist within each trading card product, and they are set up to offer different levels of challenge for collectors. Some collectors only focus on the more rare inserts while others try to complete the more obtainable.
There are a great variety of insert cards being produced by trading card manufacturers today. Everything from game worn items being cut up into pieces and put onto the cards (See What are Game Worn Jersey Cards?) and cards with the actual signature (or signatures if more than one player signs the card) on them to cards with wood engraving and highly decorated foil cards.
For the most part, the higher the price of the pack, then the more insert content the product should strive to deliver.
Glossary Term Crash numbering (also known as sequential numbering) - Adding numbering to a card front or back to make known the actual print run of a particular set. Cards are numbered in order up to a certain number either by foil stamp, ink jet printing, or by hand using a pen. For example the first card in the run could be "1/100," which would mean it is #1 of 100 total. The second card in the run would then be "2/100." The third card would be "3/100," and the numbering would continue up to "100/100."