Short Print and Super Short Print

[bearlyjb]

While not completely new to hockey card trading I must admit I have become increasingly perplexed or my curiosity aroused by the definitions of "short-print" and "super short-print" used by fellow collectors ... thus I am seeking input to determine what is the reasonable definition.

To begin I have seen some fellow traders use SSP or SP to describe lower print runs while others appear to use it in the context of less cards produced than the stated print run. So which is correct?

Further, for those fellow traders using SSP in the context of print runs of lower numbers - some use it equally across #/5 as equally as #/25 ... is there a difference between SSP and SP? And what is the point that SSP applies versus SP?

Are there other intended or appropriate uses for SP or SSP for serial numbered #/1, #/2 or other?

Your help and perspectives would be appreciated.

 

[blindros88]

The term Short Print was coined to differentiate cards that were inserted in less quantities than others within the set and was primarily used when there were no print runs made available. A great example of this was 2000-01 Black Diamond Game Gear. Most of the cards were Goalie pads with a few skaters having cards made of gloves. Obviously, the skaters cards were short printed, printed in smaller quantities than the Goalie pad cards. Gloves have less material than goalie pads. Pretty simple.

Another appropriate use of the term would be this year's Certified set. Within a given set, e.g. Mirror Red Materials, there is a range of print runs. The highest would be considered the 'standard' and then the others would be various levels of short prints. I would only attach the term Super Short Print to a card that is printed in significantly lower quantities than other short prints.

 

[helmetsrgreat]

Take the 2010-11 Contenders autographed rookies as an example. There were 50 total auto rookies, 9 were short printed /399, and only 1 (Magnus Paajarvi) would be considered a super short print /99.

 

[hederman]

Borrowing these images from Ilhan's (sabres11) sale thread for the purpose of visual aid.


Standard Print: the majority of cards from this set are #/25.

SP (Short Print): This card is less (/20) than the standard print run and therefore considered a SP.

SSP (Super? Short Print): This card has the shortest print run (/10) in the set and is therefore considered a SSP.

 

[Boom Boom]

Personally, I dont give these labels much thought. Like the "1/1" label, "SP" has been prostituted so much in online sales that it really carries little weight in the hobby anymore. So many sellers use this term to simply pump up their sales.

 

[Burner]

I believe Panini designates some cards as SP, and SSP in the Private Signings set over the last 2 years

 

[JSOKOL1626]

Maybe I can help. While both terms, SSP and SP, can be applied to numbered cards where the print runs are evident they re more useful when discussing non numbered cards. I'll use 2011/12 Score Hockey as an example. Within that product were two levels of rookie cards, Hot Rookies and SP Hot Rookies. 50 Hot Rookies were inserted, on average, one in every 2 packs so you would need to open, at a minimum, 3 boxes to get a complete set (assuming none of your rookies were duplicates). There are 500 cards in the base set so it would require (again at a minimum, assuming no duplicates) 2 1/4 boxes to complete the base set. This means that Hot Rookies are less frequent than any given base card, so they are slightly short printed. The SP Hot Rookies (20 in the set) occur at a frequency of approximately 1 per box, so it would take a minimum of 20 boxes to complete the set.

Therefore, it could be said that 50 rookies are short printed (less common than base cards) and 20 are super short printed (less common than other rookies). SP's and SSP's are not limited to rookies, inserts or subset cards may also appear as SP's or SSP's.

To a set builder, like myself, the SSP label tells me it will be tougher to find that card and it will have a higher value than other cards in the set.

Another example would be a practice Topps has employed for years and that would be tiered autographs. One set of players may have autos that appear 1 in every 4 boxes, a second set of players may occur 1 in every 8 boxes while another set may be 1 in every 24 boxes. The more frequent autos could be designated as SP's while the scarce autos would be SSP's.

Hope this helps

Joe

 

[netsinah]

While I agree that some sellers abuse the SP and SSP terms to increase interest/price for their sales, I still think the terms still have some meaning amongst collectors and amongst the sellers who aren't trying to unfairly pump their cards. Like anything, it's up to you to try and figure out if the SP or SSP designation is correct, which can be challenging these days when there are quite a few different products being released and it's hard to know all their characteristics. Best to "consult" with others on this Board if you're unsure...you'll almost always find someone in the know about a certain card release (as shown by some of the responses here); hence the beauty of belonging to HI.

 

[JohnnyDrama]

You typically see SP's and SSP's in auto or memorabilia sets with no print run. The best I can think of is UD Series 1 Game Jersey's. I think they actually tier them by stated odds so you get an idea of just how SP'd something is but with auto sets it's typically what shows up more or less often.

 

[paulxing]

Sign of the Times are notorious for SPs and SSPs.

 

[richkulach]

I believe Panini designates some cards as SP, and SSP in the Private Signings set over the last 2 years

That are also using what they call 'XSP' for an even smaller print run.

Rich

 

[FrozenInferno]

You typically see SP's and SSP's in auto or memorabilia sets with no print run. The best I can think of is UD Series 1 Game Jersey's. I think they actually tier them by stated odds so you get an idea of just how SP'd something is but with auto sets it's typically what shows up more or less often.

This. To me the term "short-print" implies an element of uncertainty that isn't there with serial numbered cards. If a card is numbered to ten you know that going in, if you miss it chances are most of the other nine will appear. If you pass on something like an SP'd Game Jersey you may not see another for months and you have no idea how many there are. It makes the chase that much more intense.

I don't consider tiered, serial numbered rookies to be short-prints in the same sense. They are short-printed in relation to others in the set but it doesn't mean that card will be hard to find.

 

[30ranfordfan]

like everyone else has said..... I think those terms are best used to describe cards whose exact print run is not known...... but it is known that they were made in quantities less than others in the same set.

I would expect that SSP is only used relative to something else in the same set being an SP, which (of course) is relative to other cards in the same set being "regular" print runs.

 

[mortuus]

Sign of the Times are notorious for SPs and SSPs.

I agree, and Glacial graphs in ice etc..

 

[JayvsJay]

Short Print (SP) = Kind of rare but easy to find still (My estimation: around 10-25 Copy)
Super Short Print (SSP) = Rare, if you need, buy it cause you might never gonna see it back (My estimation: less than 10 copy)

But its only my opinion.