Vintage Spotlight

Vintage Spotlight Episode 13 brings together Leighton Sheldon of Just Collect and Jeremy Lee to share the full story behind a fresh T215 Red Cross tobacco card find that surfaced from a family collection in Nashville, Tennessee. In this episode, Leighton walks through how one vague email turned into a major vintage discovery, why photos and provenance matter so much when you are evaluating old cardboard, and how he balances honest appraisals with the reality that Just Collect is in the business of buying and selling cards. You will hear how this family collection produced sixteen T215 Red Cross cards, why two stayed behind with the owner’s sons, and what that says about nostalgia and the future of the hobby. From there, Jeremy and Leighton dig into where T215 Red Cross cards really sit in the early tobacco landscape. Should Type 1 Red Cross cards be considered part of the T206 family or a separate issue entirely. How much weight should we still give to Jefferson Burdick’s American Card Catalog in light of what we know today. And what do you do when there are barely any comps, only a couple hundred graded examples, and collectors trying to complete impossible sets. You will also get an update on AuctionWire.ai as it heads into beta, a quick check in on Jeremy’s upcoming book POPs & COMPs, and details on how to enter a very cool vintage giveaway. 🎁 Vintage Spotlight giveaway Leighton is giving away a vintage Mickey Mantle card graded SGC 3 to one viewer. To enter: Watch this episode on YouTube, leave a comment on the YouTube video that: Say hi, where you are from, share what you are currently collecting or what you used to collect if you are not active anymore. If you are listening on Apple or Spotify, you can still enter by coming over to the YouTube episode and leaving a comment there. We will pull all eligible comments into a randomizer and select one winner. 👍 If you enjoy Vintage Spotlight, please like the video and subscribe. 💬 Drop your thoughts in the comments about T215 Red Cross, the T215 vs T206 debate, or your favorite vintage tobacco back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hosts Jeremy Lee and Leighton Sheldon welcome legendary Baltimore collector Dan McKee for a rich dive into 1933 Goudey and the hobby stories that bring it to life. We cover the origin of Nap Lajoie card 106, why some copies were mailed with staple holes, and whether a full Goudey set without Lajoie can beat the single card in today’s market. Dan also shares a striking claim about the popularity of Goudey Indian Gum with kids in 1933, and we explore a little-known proof curiosity involving a Leo Durocher card numbered 106. Along the way we hit collecting philosophy, raw vs. graded, counterfeit detection, and the joy of handling cards. Highlights • Nap Lajoie 106 history and mail-in stories • Set vs. single: take Lajoie or the rest of 1933 Goudey • Why Indian Gum may have outpaced baseball with kids in 1933 • Possible Leo Durocher 106 proof and what it could mean • Raw binders, card handling, and the smell test for counterfeits • Dan’s path from Old Judge to 1950s sets and his 1910 Washington Times favorite • Type collecting vs. “flight collecting” for smarter sampling • PSA Registry gaps and how oddball proofs fit in • Display pieces, wrappers, and advertising for set companions Guest: Dan McKee, long-time vintage collector from Baltimore Hosts: Jeremy Lee and Leighton Sheldon Listen and watch on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. If you enjoy deep vintage, share this episode with a friend and drop a question for a future Vintage Spotlight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 11 of The Vintage Spotlight, Jeremy Lee and Leighton Sheldon dig deep into one of the most nuanced topics in the hobby: “own appeal” vs. “eye appeal.” Sparked by a video from Dan’s Vintage Baseball PC, the guys explore whether owning a rough copy of a grail is better than holding out for a cleaner version — and what it means for how we build our collections. The conversation heats up with a detailed comparison of two T206 Honus Wagner cards: one restored and sharp, the other tattered and raw — and double the price. Which would you rather own? Also in this episode: Why collectors may be turning to vintage amid modern market instability A preview of Fanatics Fest and goals for The National A look at Matty C’s new project, Eye Appeal Inc Reflections on hobby community, fatherhood, and the joy of collecting This one’s a blend of insight, fun, and hobby philosophy — classic Vintage Spotlight. Vintage Spotlight is a spinoff podcast from the Sports Cards Live segment of the same name, which Leighton has regularly appeared on since 2022. Please check out the hosts YouTube channels Jeremy: @SportsCardsLive, Leighton: @JustCollect and Leighton's Trading Card Therapy podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Vintage Spotlight podcast, Leighton and Jeremy welcome Leon Luckey, the owner of the net54baseball.com forum community. Vintage Spotlight is a spinoff podcast from the Sports Cards Live segment of the same name where Leighton regularly joined since 2022. Please check out the hosts YouTube channels Jeremy: @SportsCardsLive, Leighton: @JustCollect and Leighton's Trading Card Therapy podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Vintage Spotlight podcast, Leighton and Jeremy welcome Chris Trout (@pursuitsportscards) to discuss Chris' journey back into the hobby, how he found his path, his "pursuit", and his unique approach to the T206 set. The panel discusses the ways in which the hobby itself acts as therapy, and we finish off with a very unique 100+ year old Ty Cobb collectibles. Vintage Spotlight is a spinoff podcast from the Sports Cards Live segment of the same name where Leighton has joined the show for the last year and a half. Please check out Jeremy's @SportsCardsLive and Leighton's @JustCollect other channels. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Vintage Spotlight podcast, Leighton and Jeremy welcome Sammy Thunder (@sammythunder) to discuss our hobby plans for 2025, did Leighton discover an amazing new platform to buy and sell vintage cards, we share our love for the 1957 Topps Baseball set and we learn more about Sammy's interview with legendary hobbyist Pat Quinn and the discovery pf the Venezuelan Topps cards and finally a discussion around finding vintage cards at local card shops.. Vintage Spotlight is a spinoff podcast from the Sports Cards Live segment of the same name where Leighton has joined the show for the last year and a half. Please check out Jeremy's @SportsCardsLive and Leighton's @JustCollect other channels. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Vintage Spotlight podcast, Leighton and Jeremy welcome Matt Cirulnick (@mattyc_collection) to discuss some recent Babe Ruth sales and the benefits collectors can have by being open to low-grade, high eye-appeal cards. We learn about Matthew's approach to collecting and we all show some of our recent pickups that are in line with this new trend and one of which that Leighton has acquired for his young son Crosby. Vintage Spotlight is a spinoff podcast from the Sports Cards Live segment of the same name where Leighton has joined the show for the last year and a half. Please check out Jeremy's @SportsCardsLive and Leighton's @JustCollect other channels. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Vintage Spotlight podcast, Leighton and Jeremy welcome Jonathan (@sportscards.and.sunsets) to discuss some recent Mickey Mantle auction results and the long-term outlook on Mantle's card values. We learn about Jonathan's approach to vintage and his Rough Cuts podcast and we all show some recent vintage pickups including an amazing Maurice Richard 1951 Parkhurst rookie that Jonathan pleasantly surprised us with. Vintage Spotlight is a spinoff podcast from the Sports Cards Live segment of the same name where Leighton has joined the show for the last year and a half. Please check out Jeremy's @SportsCardsLive and Leighton's @JustCollect other channels. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Vintage Spotlight podcast, Leighton and Jeremy discuss the recently ended auctions on Memory Lane including two ultra-rare Rose Company postcards and two HOF autographed rookie cards. Guest Nate joins to share how his approach to targeting vintage cards has evolved and the criteria he filters his options through and Jeremy and Leighton show and discuss their recent personal pickups including Jeremy's new vintage card that has become his favorite card in his whole collection despite it's very low technical grade. Vintage Spotlight is a spinoff podcast from the Sports Cards Live segment of the same name where Leighton has joined the show for the last year and a half. Please check out Jeremy's @SportsCardsLive and Leighton's @JustCollect other channels. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Vintage Spotlight podcast, Leighton and Jeremy discuss the recently ended auctions on SCP of the first 11 HOF inductee autos on a baseball, Kobe's practice jacket and the record breaking 1951 Bowman Willie Mays rookie card. Guest David Schwartz joins to tell the story of liquidating 90% of his collection to acquire his true grail at the National and we talk about the newly discovered problem in the hobby of unopened product being scanned to see what's inside. Vintage Spotlight is a spinoff podcast from the Sports Cards Live segment of the same name where Leighton has joined the show for the last year and a half. Please check out Jeremy's @SportsCardsLive and Leighton's @JustCollect other channels. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Vintage Spotlight podcast, Leighton and Jeremy discuss the recently ended auctions on Heritage of Michael Jordan's 1986 Fleer and 1984 Star cards along with guest Jeff Hart, we learn about Jeff's love for Vintage and his main collecting pursuits, we share some important tips for the National and we finish with three viewer questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Vintage Spotlight podcast, Leighton and Jeremy discuss the nuances of the 1914 and 1915 Cracker Jack sets, who's cards are cooling off and heating up, Leighton tells the story behind and shows some gorgeous never-before-seen Jackie Robinson autographs, Cory joins as the first Collector Spotlight guest and explains who and and why he collects and we finish with a viewer question. Vintage Spotlight is a spinoff podcast from the Sports Cards Live segment of the same name where Leighton has joined the show for the last year and a half. Please check out Jeremy's  @SportsCardsLive  and Leighton's  @JustCollect  other channels. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this inaugural episode of the Vintage Spotlight podcast, Leighton and Jeremy discuss the T206 set and the varying levels of scarcity of the card backs, the importance of eye appeal via the analysis of two 1952 Topps Mantle's, the impact of the Baseball Hall of Fame's decision to integrate the Negro League stats into Major League and resulting rise of Josh Gibson collectibles and finally why did Leighton commend Jeremy on the oldest baseball card in his collection. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Vintage Spotlight! With a combined 80 years in the industry, veteran sports card podcaster and lifelong collector Jeremy Lee joins forces with professional sports card treasure hunter Leighton Sheldon to bring you a podcast dedicated to the vintage segment of the sports card hobby. Tune in to learn about record breaking auction sales, recent trends and observations, facts and insights, fresh takes, newly discovered collections and more.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices