ATC Vs ACEO: What's the Difference?

ATC stands for Artist Trading Card and ACEO stands for Art Card, Editions and Originals. Seems pretty straight forward. Like I mentioned in the description, these cards are exactly the same size and, in addition to that, they're made in exactly the same way. You can use any medium you want on each and make them any theme you'd like.

They're the same. Or, are they? This needs further investigation, apparently, otherwise there wouldn't be two different names.

Here's how they're defined, specifically:

"Artist trading cards, also known as ATCs, are 2 ½ x 3 ½ inch (64 x 89 mm) miniature works of art which artists trade with one another, similar to the way people trade sports cards. The Impressionists opened the ATC market to the art buying public when they began trading, or selling, their art cards in exchange for art supplies or room and board. Cards can be any media: textile arts, pencil, watercolor, acrylic, oil, collage, scratch board, mixed media - anything artists use. Artist trading cards are produced as single originals, in a series, or a limited editions." -- excerpted from wikipedia.com

"A highly debated offshoot of artist trading cards are the "art card, editions and originals" (ACEO). ACEOs originated when some artists began to create cards to sell on eBay, in addition to trading among themselves. The selling of these cards is a sore point with some ATC purists; however the practice is not unprecedented: trading cards in other areas such as sports have also been traded and sold. Many artists continue to sell small art cards on eBay. The practice is meant to augment their incomes, as well as increase their patronage." -- from wikipedia.com

Okay, this is interesting. They say ACEO work is highly debated because they're sold, however Impressionists opened them up to the market and began selling them. It's right there in black and white, so why is it debatable? There are a lot of heated discussions in forums and chat rooms all around the Internet because, as wikipedia.com also points out, there are specific rules for ATCs:

"Some common rules to modern artist trading cards:
1: The dimensions of the card must be 2.5 x 3.5 inches (64 x 89 mm).
2: The cards are traded, never sold. Cards sold are referred to as "art card, editions and originals" (ACEO).
3: The artist of the cards should sign, date and number them if they are part of an edition. Contact information can also be included so other artists can get to know them and their work. (Some artists like to make a personal calling card with a self portrait on the front and contact information and anything else they'd like to include on the back, to give out with their trades.) "

So, let me get this straight . . . I'm not quite clear here. The impressionists opened ATCs the marketplace and began selling them (clearly defined in the beginning of the passage), but they're never sold (as pointed out in #2 in the list of rules above). This confuses me. If they're never sold, why did the Impressionists sell them? And, if the Impressionists sold them, why is it a heated topic of discussion for ACEOs to be sold on ebay . . . which is clearly beyond the days of Impressionism.

In my experience, I've both traded and sold them. I've come across those who sell them with pride, as well as those who feel they have to duck and cover when they admit to doing so. I guess it's all a matter of opinion. I've even been to one site where the artist out and out puts down those who sell ACEO and believes their opinion is the only one that counts because these people are just plain terrible. Well, I don't know about you, but I think it's pretty terrible to say such a thing considering how all over the board this topic seems to be.

Has the mystery been solved? Do you have a clearer understanding of the difference between these two terms? Or are you more confused? Well, I'll always be confused about the debate, but not so much about the terms.