Which collections we cover
The archive has a page for every combination of NFL franchise, era (1960s–70s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s) and garment (sweatshirts, jerseys) where the franchise existed, filed under the franchise's current name. So the 1990s Tennessee Titans page covers Houston Oilers gear, and the Raiders pages cover Oakland and Los Angeles. Teams that didn't exist yet in an era don't get a page for it.
36 collections are fully built out: the team, era and garment combinations with the most collector demand and the most pieces listed on eBay on a typical day. Those pages have fact-checked copy, a dated market snapshot with buying picks, and a representative photo. The other collections carry shorter notes built from the era and garment, and link to the live eBay search.
Era markers, tags and team history
The copy on launch collections, the era, style and team pages, and the guides is written for this site and checked against published references: team uniform and logo histories, vintage-clothing dealers' tag-dating guides, and collector write-ups. Where we couldn't confirm a date or a maker from a credible source we left it out, and where collectors disagree we say “roughly”. Tag dates in particular are windows, not birthdays: a maker's label changed over years, and stock sat on shelves.
Spotted a mistake? Tell us through allbutnew (see the about page).
Market snapshots and buying picks
For a launch collection we search eBay for that team, era and garment (for example “vintage 90s Green Bay Packers sweatshirt”), filter out reproductions, modern retro lines, youth sizes and things that aren't the garment (jackets, T-shirts, cards), and capture the matching active listings on a given date. We record the count, the price range, where most asking prices cluster, and a selection of listings with their price, shipping, format, seller feedback and condition. The date is shown next to the listings (“Snapshot captured …”), and by the time you read it some will have sold or ended. The “See all current listings on eBay” link always opens the live search. We re-check the listings roughly monthly and replace picks that have ended.
Delivered prices are the asking price plus shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on the capture date. Free shipping is the same for every US buyer, so those totals are labelled “delivered”. Paid shipping is often calculated by distance, so those totals are labelled “est. delivered”; eBay shows your exact total before you buy.
The captured listings are tagged with plain labels: Cheapest (lowest delivered price for a wearable, as-described piece), Best value (a clean, era-correct piece at a below-typical price), Best for beginners and Easiest to get working (ready to wear, with clear photos, measurements and a seller with a good record), Collector's pick (a desirable maker, graphic or player at a sane price) and Project piece (a cheap piece with fixable flaws, such as a stain or a loose seam). Two warning tags flag listings to approach with care: Check the seller (little or no feedback, or stock photos) and Priced high (well above the typical range without a clear reason). These are judgment calls made from the listing titles, photos and descriptions, written up by allbutnew with the help of an AI assistant (Claude) and reviewed before publishing. We have not handled the pieces, and nobody pays for placement.
Collection photos
The product photo on a launch collection and its cards is a representative image, not a photo of any one sweatshirt or jersey for sale. We generate it with an AI image model, working from several real seller photos of that kind of piece, and compare it with those photos before publishing. It is shot on a plain studio backdrop so every collection looks consistent.
That means it shows what the garment looks like, not the condition, tag or print of a particular one. Colors, graphics, makers and wear vary from piece to piece, and details such as logos and lettering may be simplified. Always judge a listing by the seller's own photos, especially the tag, the print and any flaws. Wherever a representative photo appears large, it carries the caption “Representative photo — AI-generated from real seller photos. Individual listings vary.” Collections without one show a color-block illustration instead.
Price ranges without a snapshot
Collections without a market snapshot show a rough price tag based on era and garment type. It is a sanity check, not an appraisal and not based on sold prices. Treat the live eBay search as the real answer.
What we don't do
- We don't authenticate individual pieces or grade condition. The condition shown on a listing is the seller's.
- We don't track sold prices over time. Snapshots are asking prices on one date.
- We don't reproduce NFL or team logos. The team colors and monograms on this site are our own illustrations.
- We don't earn from links, and sellers can't pay for placement.