2020 Topps Baseball Forum

To address a couple points made here (and with a couple other members above)...

First, members hopping on their soap boxes to express opinions is a great thing. We need that. But remember, opinions can go against rules. One can have the opinion that no round items should ever be listed here, regardless of how they were distributed. Nice opinion. Not going to change the rules of the site that allows them under the conditions listed in the FAQ. Regarding site rules....

Regardless of "common terminology" being used around the hobby, it doesn't give that free reign to be used in TCDB's Note field. There are rules and guidelines, as Bruno pointed out, that 4 of us worked very hard on for more than 2 months solid, to ensure that the site's Glossary stayed in check - because there were rules to follow. The max speed limit on freeways is 65 (or higher) but not on side roads - but it's "common for people to travel at 65 MPH". But not on side roads. Just because it's acceptable in one place, doesn't grant it acceptable somewhere else. (I know that's a stretch of an analogy, but, it works.) Rules may vary from site to site. Other sites also use "/99" or other terms. We don't. And we won't.

TCDB's Notes R&G indicates that cards that are printed in less quantities that the majority of the set should be noted with "SP". Any explanations beyond that are to be written out in Note2. Nothing about using extra S's for varying degrees of "shortness". You want that to be known to collectors, and I agree, we should let them know what extent - in Note2. Chuck said it too, back on Friday the 3rd, "A short print is a short print.  There is NO defined numeration for a short print.  Thus there is no defined numeration for SP, SSP, SSSP, making the terms SSP and SSSP indefinable and meaningless. If they are defined then it's not SP (or SSP, SSSP) it's print run (PR)." It wasn't just me saying this.

So, site guidelines say that:

Note = "SP"
Note2 = "<description of card to differentiate it from the base card>; degree of SP-ness; code on back"

Although the code on back actually is part of what can be used to differentiate it from the base card.

This is site policy.

I am currently undertaking a different large project, with another large one right behind it. When I am done with those 2 projects, if the SP situation hasn't been cleaned up by the membership in general, this will be project #3 on my list. I will go in and ensure these meet site guidelines.