A trading card (or collectible card) is a small card which is intended for trading and collecting. The cards began originally as premiums distributed with tobacco products, but later became very popular as inserts to bubblegum packs. Eventually, the cards became the more desirable content, and the gum, with few exceptions, is no longer included in trading card packs.
Trading cards are traditionally associated with sports; baseball cards are especially well-known. Cards dealing with other subjects are often considered a separate category from sports cards, known as non-sports trading cards. These often feature cartoons, comic book characters, television series, or movie stills. They should not be confused with a trade card.
As with playing cards, which they generally resemble, trading cards are often used to play various games.