Parallel
A parallel is an alternate version of a base card that shares the same design and photo but differs in a distinguishing feature, often a colored border, a foil finish, or a serial number. Parallels are printed in smaller quantities than the base card, and the scarcer the parallel, the more it typically trades for.
Parallels matter enormously for tracking because a base card and its parallel can look nearly identical in a photo while being worth very different amounts. Recording the exact parallel is one of the most important habits in cataloging, since without it your records cannot distinguish a common base card from a scarce numbered version of the same card. The scarcer the parallel, the more that single recorded detail changes the card's value.
A base card might have a colored-border parallel numbered to a small print run, which trades well above the plain base version.
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