Your Guide to Parallels and Variations

If you're like me, you started to collect cards in the days when card companies issued only one version of each card. Or maybe you're completely new to collecting. In either case, today's products, which can feature 20 or more versions of the same card, can lead to confusion and even frustration.

Well, plop down in that spot where you watch your team every night and read on to bone up on parallel cards. You have a lot to learn. So let's break it down into simple parts.

Parallels vs. Variations

The difference between a parallel and a variation card can be confusing. But there's an easy way to distinguish the two. A variation card is all about the image. The photo used for a variation card differs from the base card. Meanwhile, a parallel card has the same photo as the base card. A parallel is usually different than the base card because of the design of the border or because of some special type of treatment to the card stock. So, if the border is blue, it's a parallel. If the card looks just like all of the other cards, it's either a base card or a variation. 

How to Spot a Variation

You may be asking how you will know whether the image on a card is the regular base card picture or a variation image. Well, grab your bifocals or a magnifying glass. I'm not joking. Really. For about $10, you can pick up a magnifying glass with lights. And you'll need it if you're going to collect cards. Not only do they help you check the surface, corners and edges of your cards, you also can use them to check codes on the back of cards. Topps uses codes that appear in small text near the bottom edge of a card to distinguish between base cards and variations. Below are the codes that appear on the 2021 Topps Series 1 cards. 

• Base Cards end #213
• SP Short Print Variations end #230
• SSP Super Variations end #231
• SSSP Ultra Variations end #232

How to spot a Parallel

Parallel cards are much easier to spot than a variation card. With a parallel, the card usually features some design enhancements that do not appear on base cards. In most cases, it's about color. Parallels frequently have borders of a different color than the base card. For example, for 2021 Topps, there are 20 different parallels. They include cards with borders in silver, black, red, green, blue, yellow, gold, purple and orange. Topps prints parallels of its base cards and also prints insert parallels. When it comes to base parallels, some are more widely distributed. For example, Topps may insert one gold or silver card in each pack or guarantee a certain number per box. Meanwhile, other parallels are distributed more sparingly. 

Some parallels have borders that are multi-colored or that feature art to commemorate holidays and special events. For example, 2021 Topps issued parallels for Mother's Day, Father's Day, Independence Day, Memorial Day and to celebrate its 70th anniversary. One parallel that should be easy to spot is a printing plate. These cards are actually the photo negatives of the original photo. Manufacturers burn these negatives into thin metal sheets, called printing plates, and use the plates to transfer ink onto the cards, creating the card's image, as the paper rolls through the printing press. 

Yet another type of parallel is the refractor, which features a special reflective treatment to the paper. A refractor is easy to spot because the card reflects light to produce the different colors of the rainbow when you shift it around in your hand. There are different types of refractors, however, and distinguishing which one you have can be more difficult. New collectors often confuse "chrome" versions with refractors. The Bowman line includes both "chrome" and refractor cards. The difference is about the reflection. Chrome cards are shiny. They have silver borders and thicker card stock than base card Bowman. But chrome cards do not provide the colorful reflections of light. Generally, refractors bring more value than a chrome card. 

Numbered Parallels

While some mass-produced parallels are not numbered, you can find a number stamped onto the back of most parallels. These numbers appear with a slash (like this: 201/500) to indicate how may of that type of parallel were printed. In case the front of the card doesn't provide enough information to nail down which parallel you have, knowing the print runs in advance and checking the stamped number can clear up any doubts. The lower then print run, the more valuable your parallel is likely to be. Of course, a lot still depends on the player. The best parallels have both a low print run and high desirability. For example, having a parallel printed to 20 that is also a rookie card of a popular emerging star is likely to have some serious value to collectors. If you're especially fortunate, you could snag a numbered card that features the number stamped onto the front of the card. This is sometimes the case for lower print runs, especially the highly-coveted 1/1 card. These parallels are rare because only one such card is printed. If you find one, just know that's the only one that exists in the world. A 1/1 can be fun to pull, and it will bring some added value. But don't expect to be able to sell it and retire. Today's companies seem to print a lot of 1/1 cards. 

Advanced Stats Parallels

For the past few years, Topps has produced "Advanced Stats" parallels. These cards feature sabermetric stats for players. The fronts of the cards look identical to base cards. Therefore, they can be difficult to spot. 

Insert Parallels

Insert cards, explained in another blog post, are distributed less widely than base cards. A hobby box might have only 3-4 of a particular type of insert. Since it's more difficult to acquire a regular insert, it only makes sense that it's even more rare to snag a parallel insert. Yes, they do exist. Like base parallels, these cards often feature colored borders or chrome or refractor treated paper surfaces. Most are numbered. And, in many cases, companies will add autographed versions to insert parallel varieties.

Valuing Parallels and Variations

While limited print runs can make parallels and variations more valuable, you must consider that supply is only part of the equation. Demand also makes up a big part of determining how much a card is worth in the marketplace. While the best way to determine the value of a card is to check auction sites like eBay to see what a card has already sold for, that can be more difficult with limited-run cards like a 2/25 Juan Soto Mother's Day card. All I can say is to be cautious as a buyer and patient as a seller. A Soto parallel may be highly desirable to a collector who is into Soto cards, but it won't sell as quickly as a rookie card, which is going to draw interest from a wider range of collectors. If you have a Soto, don't undervalue it. Just wait for the right situation and the right collector. At the same time, be cautious as a buyer. The seller knows that his Soto is rare, and that collector might try to turn a huge profit on the card. But there are many cards listed on sites like eBay for prices that are way above what any smart collector will pay. Don't get sucked into buying a card simply because it's a player you like with a low print run.