OUR DATA POLICY
How Sports Card Monthly Verifies Release Dates
Release dates move constantly. We show where a date came from, when it was checked, and what changed.
Source priority
- Official manufacturer release calendars and product pages
- Official manufacturer checklists and announcements
- GTS Distribution / distributor release information
- Major authorized hobby retailers
- Other release calendars for discovery and cross-checking only
What our statuses mean
| Manufacturer-confirmed | The exact date appears on an official manufacturer source. |
|---|---|
| Distributor-confirmed | A major distributor supplies the exact date while the manufacturer confirms the product. |
| Expected | The product is announced, but the exact street date is not strong enough to call confirmed. |
| TBD | No reliable exact date has been published. |
| Delayed | A newer verified date replaced an earlier scheduled date. |
| Released | The street date has passed and release is confirmed. |
We keep date history
When a product moves, we do not silently erase the old date. Important product pages can show the original date, current date and source conflict so collectors can understand what changed.
Formats can have different dates
Hobby, Mega, Blaster and other configurations do not always release together. When official sources show different dates, Sports Card Monthly tracks them separately.
No guessing
If a manufacturer has not announced a checklist, box configuration, autograph content or exact date, we say that. Accuracy is more important than filling every field.