The Photocard Bible

If you collect photocards, this is your scripture. Every type, every term, every tip.

HERO IMAGE

Every type of photocard

Album PCs — random cards included in every physical album. Standard 55x85mm. The bread and butter of collecting. $5-$12 value
POB (Pre-Order Benefit) — exclusive to specific retailers. Different design per store. Buy from Weverse Shop, get one card. Buy from Ktown4u, get a different card. This is why fans buy from 5 different stores. $10-$80 value
Lucky Draw — lottery-style cards from events and pop-up stores. Often holographic or special finish. The most valuable photocards are almost always lucky draws. BTS Jungkook Butterful Night: $3,213
Fansign PCs — distributed at fan signing events. Sometimes include handwritten elements. Extremely limited. $50-$500+
Broadcast PCs — given at music show tapings (M Countdown, Inkigayo). First-come basis. $10-$40
Merch PCs — bundled with non-album merchandise. $3-$30
Lenticular — 3D cards, thicker than standard. Not in every album. $3-$12
Mini PCs — approximately double album PC size. Primarily HYBE groups during tours and birthdays. $2-$20

Trading is the heart of photocard culture. It's not just economic — it's how you make friends, build community, and complete your collection.

WTS = want to sell. WTT = want to trade. WTB = want to buy. ISO = in search of. NFS = not for sale
Instagram is the primary platform — use hashtags like #kpoptrade #WTT and your group name
Twitter/X — search 'WTT [group] [member]' to find traders
Always use proof pics — timestamped photo with your username written on paper
PayPal Goods & Services ONLY for purchases — it has buyer protection. Never Friends & Family with strangers
Check seller history before trading. Search the community scammer lists
Include freebies in your trades — stickers, deco items. It's good culture
Ship in toploaders with cardboard backing. Never bend a photocard in an envelope

Condition matters. A bent corner can drop a card's value by 50%. Here's how to evaluate.

Gem Mint (10) — perfect under magnification. No flaws. Only achievable with careful handling from pack to sleeve
Mint (9) — superior condition. Slightest surface imperfections only visible under magnification
Near Mint (7-8) — light scratching, minor edge wear, soft corners. Still a great card
Excellent (5-6) — visible but moderate wear. Fine for a collection, lower trade value
Below — creases, bends, stains. Significant damage. Low value unless extremely rare

Penny sleeves — basic transparent sleeves. Affordable but can cause micro-scratches on glossy cards
Perfect-fit sleeves — snug fit, ideal for double-sleeving. Best balance of protection and accessibility
Top loaders — rigid plastic. Maximum protection. Essential for high-value cards and shipping
Double-sleeve high-value cards — perfect-fit inner + standard outer
D-ring binders over O-ring — keeps pages flatter, reduces bending
UV light fades prints — avoid direct sunlight on displayed cards
Humidity damages cardstock — store in dry environments
Rotate displayed cards so no single card gets sustained UV exposure

Rarity — lucky draw > fansign > POB > album PC. Limited production = higher value
Member popularity — popular members command higher prices (Jungkook, Karina, Wonyoung)
Group popularity — BTS, Seventeen, Stray Kids, Blackpink consistently trade higher
Era/age — discontinued or early-era cards get scarcer over time
Condition — mint is mandatory for top prices. One bend can halve the value
Special finishes — holographic, glitter, foil variants trade above standard
Event exclusivity — concert-only, pop-up-only, region-exclusive cards