TCID is an open registry standard that assigns a stable, opaque alphanumeric identifier to every distinct trading card type enabling platforms, insurers, grading companies, and collectors to speak the same language.
Every major platform in the trading card market uses a different internal identifier for the same card. Grading companies, marketplaces, insurance carriers, and collector apps each maintain their own proprietary reference with no shared canonical key. TCID solves this by assigning a stable, permanent, open identifier to each distinct card type, governed by an independent standards body being structured as a nonprofit.
A TCID, once assigned, never changes. Cards do not get re-numbered when manufacturers release new checklists or platforms update their databases.
Identifiers carry no embedded meaning. Modeled on CUSIP and ISIN, an opaque identifier survives manufacturer rebranding, sport expansion, and schema changes.
The TCID identifier itself is published under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Any platform, tool, or collector can reference a TCID at no cost.
TCID is being structured for ownership by an independent nonprofit standards body, not by any manufacturer, marketplace, or grading company, ensuring no single commercial interest will control the standard.
TCID occupies the foundational type layer. Higher layers reference TCID, they do not replace it.
Identifies the card type by player, set, year, parallel, and variation. Every copy of a given card shares the same TCID, whether raw, graded, or never touched. The foundational layer all others reference.
SC4X7KQ29R3A · 2025 Topps Series 1 Baseball #27 Shohei Ohtani BaseGrading company certification numbers (PSA, BGS, SGC). Identifies a specific copy that has been submitted, evaluated, and encapsulated. Only exists after grading. References the TCID above to establish what card was graded.
PSA Cert #12345678 (references TCID above)Optical fingerprinting captures microscopic surface variations unique to each physical card. Works on raw and graded cards alike. Enables provenance tracking, theft recovery, and authentication independent of the grading system.
FP-A8B3C2... (references TCID above)Open identifier standards governed by neutral bodies are not novel. They are the infrastructure of every liquid market.
TCID is being structured as a two-entity governance model, an independent nonprofit standards body that will own and govern the identifier, and a separately incorporated commercial entity that will operate the API and data products under license. This separation is designed to ensure the standard cannot be captured by any commercial interest.
Being structured as a Delaware 501(c)(6) trade association. Will own the TCID standard. Will set identifier policy, data schemas, and governance rules. Board to include independent industry representatives, with no manufacturer voting rights.
Being structured as a Delaware C-Corp. Will operate the registry database, API layer, and data products under license from the standards body. Revenue will fund nonprofit governance operations plus commercial operations.
The TCID Registry API provides structured, authenticated access to card type data. The identifier itself is always free. API membership unlocks enriched metadata, batch lookup, and commercial use rights.
// Example: Resolve a TCID to full card metadata GET https://api.tradingcardid.org/v1/cards/SC4X7KQ29R3A Authorization: Bearer {api_key} // Response { "tcid": "SC4X7KQ29R3A", "sport": "Baseball", "manufacturer": "Topps", "season": "2025", "product": "Topps Series 1", "card_number": "27", "player": "Shohei Ohtani", "team": "Los Angeles Dodgers", "card_type": "Base", "parallel": null, "print_run": null, "autograph": false, "relic": false }