A buyback is a card that was originally issued in a previous year, then repurchased by the manufacturer, stamped or authenticated, and reinserted into a new product as a special chase card. It's literally a card from the past that's been "bought back" and given a second life.
Buybacks often feature a foil stamp, serial number, or autograph added by the manufacturer to distinguish them from the original version. They're a cool way for collectors to pull vintage or classic cards from modern packs.
The appeal of buybacks is the bridge they create between eras — you might rip a 2026 product and pull a stamped card from 1987. That collision of old and new is something only buybacks can deliver.