Non-sports trading cards can be about many
things, from famous people to famous animals, comic characters,
machines, and much more. They are usually 3.5 inches tall
by 2.5 inches wide.
Construction: The trading cards
are printed on large sheets of heavy paper called "print
sheets", typically 30 inches by 40 inches and containing
up to 72 cards. The sheets are cut into the individual cards
and sent to packaging. Some are packaged as a "packs",
a fixed number of random cards and put into small containers
such as printed pouches, bags or small boxes. The
packs are then placed into a larger "box", typically
36 packs to a box, and sold at stores.
The paper weight is measured in "points",
from as little as 10 point (very flimsy) up to 18 point
(very sturdy) and beyond. The cards are often coated with
either aqueous (somewhat glossy) which protects from moisture,
or Ultra-Violet (UV, very glossy) which protects from moisture
and sun damage to colors. The cards may be stamped
with metal foils of different colors, stamped with holograms,
embossing, and other effects.
Packaging: A basic "set"
of trading cards consists of one each of the "common
cards" which are easy to acquire from the packs or by
trading with others. The odds of finding any one common
card are equal to the number of cards in a set. "Chase"
cards (or insert or bonus) are typically manufactured
using a different process or design, and are randomly inserted
into the packs. The odds of finding a chase card is customarily
indicated by how many packs would have to be opened to find
a single chase card. Because these cards are more rare,
they can be worth many times the cost of a complete basic
set! For many people though, the fun is in buying
packs you choose yourself, finding that rare chase card
or trading the extra commons with friends or dealers to
complete the set. Some manufacturers create the basic
set for you, and are called factory sets.
Error Card: A card that contains a mistake
such as an incorrect photo, a misspelled name or incorrect
statistical information. Unlike many products, errors
in collectibles can greatly increase their value. If
the error cards are discarded/destroyed and corrected cards
printed, the error card is usually more valuable. An error
card that has no corrected version usually has no additional
value.
Other Items: Sometimes accessories
made of plastic and cardboard are available for the
storage and display of the cards. Clear plastic pages with
card-sized pockets are specially designed to protect the
cards from acids on the fingers while viewing the cards
(usually 9 cards per page) in a 3 ring binder. The products
made from plastic contain no PVC's (which could break
down and cause card damage) and are UV coated to protect
the cards from fading and discoloration caused by exposure
to sunlight.
Many manufactures also make albums specially
designed for the card sets. The albums are usually 3 ring
binders that hold the plastic pages. The albums may or may
not include the plastic pages. The outsides of the album
are frequently printed to match the theme of the card set.
Golden HorseShu® cards
Golden HorseShu® cards are made of 16
point paper, UV coated for the best protection.
There are two chase cards which are called
FAME cards in each series. There are 9 random
common cards per pack so that the 9-pocket page which
is included is filled, and 24 packs to a box. There
is 1 of each FAME card per box. Odds of getting
a particular FAME card are 1 in 24 packs, with odds
of any 1 particular common card being about 1 in 8 packs.
Series 1 has 67 common cards and 2 FAME
cards, Man o'War and Gifted. The run is limited
to 5,000 sheets, or sets. The first printing contained
6 cards with errors. A special run for corrected versions
was made and substituted for those cards not yet circulated.
Description of the error cards are here
(click). 200 uncut sheets, 72 cards, reserved
for sales, includes 3 duplicates
(click here for sales).
Series 2 has 68 common cards and 2 FAME
cards, Misty of Chincoteague and Big Ben. Print
run also created special Misty cards S1 and S2
earmarked for sales on Chincoteague Island. Card S1
has the same photo as the FAME card, but the back gives
Misty's detailed history, no statistics. Card S2
has the same photo as Card 50, but the back has split info
on both Misty and Stormy, plus a family tree from Phantom
through Misty II and the other grandbabies. First
printing was 6,500 sheets or sets. One additional
printing may be made, decision later. 200
uncut sheets, 72 cards, reserved for sales, includes cards
S1 and S2. (click here for sales).
Custom Albums with the Golden HorseShu®
theme are available, as well as various plastic single and
double card holders and a velvet pouch. Our plastic
pocket pages are the best in the industry, Ultra-Pro
hologram, which are UV coated and contain no PVC's.
