From MTG Salvation Wiki
In Magic: The Gathering, the word card always refers to a Magic card with a Magic: The Gathering card front and a Magic card back. Tokens are never considered cards, even if cards are used to represent them.
A card is only referred to as a "card" by game rules or effects when in a player's hand, library, or graveyard, is "phased out," or is removed from the game. When a card has been played and is on the stack waiting to resolve, the game refers to it as a "spell." When a card is in play, the game refers to it as a "permanent," or simply by its type or subtype.
From the Comprehensive Rules
- 200.1. When a rule or text on a card refers to a “card,” it means a Magic card with a Magic card front and the Magic card back. Tokens aren’t considered cards—even a card that represents a token isn’t considered a card for rules purposes.
- 200.1a A card’s owner is the player who started the game with it in his or her deck or, for cards that didn’t start the game in a player’s deck, the player who brought the card into the game.
- Use the Oracle card reference to determine a card’s text.
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| Example:
Shivan Dragon is a card with Creature - Dragon on its type line.
- When in your hand, library, graveyard, or removed from the game, it's a card, creature card, and dragon card.
- When on the stack, it's a spell, creature spell, and dragon spell.
- When in play, it's a permanent, creature, and dragon.
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