Laura and Jack Boyd Smith Jr. rise to #85 in the world
In May, The JBS Collection—represented by owners Laura and Jack Boyd Smith Jr. of Elkhart, Indiana—jumped 50 spots to make it into The Key’s Top 100 rankings of classic car collections worldwide. Every year, The Classic Car Trust’s annual publication, The Key, recognizes top collections and collectors dedicated to promoting and preserving rare historic vehicles. Located in the center of America’s heartland, The JBS Collection rose to #85 on the list.
The Classic Car Trust rankings in The Key—the authoritative source on rare and classic car collections—represent the height of excellence for car museums and collections worldwide. The Top 100 Collectors list consists of both public and private collections. The list is compiled based on expert analysis and ranking tables developed in conjunction with The Classic Car Trust, a worldwide organization that fosters the preservation and enjoyment of classic automobiles.
The #85 worldwide ranking represented another sharp rise for The JBS Collection, which was #136 in the world just a few years ago. Billionaire fashion icon Ralph Lauren—whose car collection has an estimated worth of $350 million—earned The Key’s top spot for 2023, and Nicola Bulgari, the billionaire businessman and grandson of Bulgari’s founder, came in at #41. Among other notables, Jay Leno’s collection is ranked #46.
Jack Boyd Smith Jr. has emerged over the past several years as a rising collector, and this year’s ranking in The Key is another indicator of his persistence in building one of the most significant collections in the world.
The JBS Collection includes a rare assemblage of historic and luxurious Packards and continues to find and preserve a range of rare, classic, and historic automobiles. A 1934 Packard Twelve Convertible Victoria Dietrich Interior, one of the cars in The JBS Collection, is one of fewer than 10 of its kind in existence and has won four distinct awards since 2015, including Concours d’Elegance first place wins at Pebble Beach, Amelia Island, and St. John’s.
The JBS Collection’s 1937 Cord 812 Phaeton Convertible—designed by American automobile architect Gordon M. Buehrig and once owned by legendary American aviator Amelia Earhart—recently became only the 33rd vehicle to be honored by the Hagerty Drivers Foundation with induction into the National Historic Vehicle Register.
Rare and extraordinary vehicles like this 1934 Packard Twelve Convertible Victoria Dietrich Interior have helped The JBS Collection soar to new heights. The JBS Collection, owned by Laura and Jack Boyd Smith Jr. of Elkhart, Indiana, was ranked #85—moving up over 50 spots—in the The Classic Car Trust’s 2023 listing, posted in The Key magazine, of the top 100 car collections in the world. This award-winning Packard, one of fewer than ten 1107 Convertible Victoria models still in existence, is a piece of history.
In honor of the induction, the Cord—restored for The JBS Collection by LaVine Restorations, Inc., of Nappanee, Indiana—will be displayed under glass at the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
“Laura and I don’t have plans to stop anytime soon,” said Jack Boyd Smith Jr. “These vehicles are just incredible. I want to preserve as many as possible so they’re not lost to time.”