trading card

noun

plural trading cards

: one of a set of cards or digital files collected and traded as a hobby : collectible card: such as

a

: a card featuring a picture of and statistical information about an athlete

It may be the most legendary trading card in sports, and it's not even Mantle's rookie card.

—Jon Gold

b

: a card featuring a fictional character, location, item, etc. and used especially in playing a trading card game

The "Labyrinth of Nightmare" set of Yu-Gi-Oh! trading cards is considered a good investment by some collectors because it contains several powerful and sought-after cards.

—Oliver Copeland

c

: a digital art file featuring a person, character, item, etc.

especially : a unique non-fungible token card

NFT trading cards are unique digital collectibles. Each NFT card is distinct. … A rare NFT trading card featuring a legendary musician or athlete might command a high price due to their widespread fame.

—Iulia Vasile

Examples of trading card in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

His company runs a marketplace for paid online communities, and the same instinct sends crypto's newly rich after collectibles and trading cards. — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

Today the marketplace hosts livestream auctions across categories including apparel, sneakers, luxury accessories, trading cards, sports memorabilia, watches, beauty products, food and beverages, and clearance merchandise. — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 1 Aug. 2026

Battles between auction houses and marketplaces for customers to consign valuable sports trading cards occur on a daily basis, with each company making sales pitches as to why someone would receive the most money in selling through them. — Larry Holder, New York Times, 31 July 2026

Thieves stole thousands of dollars worth of Pokémon cards in two different store break-ins in New Jersey this month, reflecting the trading cards' increasing popularity and value, according to authorities and store officials. — Megan Fahrney, ABC News, 30 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for trading card

• bodyguard
• boulevard
• disregard
• asgard
• backyard
• barnyard
• blackguard
• bombard
• brickyard
• canard
• churchyard
• coastguard

Kids Definition

trading card

noun

: a card that usually has pictures and information about someone or something and is part of a set that is collected by trading with other people