Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 21
Wilt Chamberlain Jacket Bought for $3 Sells for $89,600 at Sotheby's
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 21

Wilt Chamberlain Jacket Bought for $3 Sells for $89,600 at Sotheby's

1 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 21

Summary

  • $89,600 was the winning bid Monday for a Wilt Chamberlain warmup jacket that Portland teen Quinn Brown found this year at an Oregon thrift store for $3.
  • Sotheby's authenticated the jacket as one Chamberlain wore during the 1972 NBA Finals, drawing more than 45 bidders after initially valuing it at $150,000.
  • $70,000 was the top bid with 30 seconds left before a last-second offer pushed the sale sharply higher.
  • Brown, 19, said he plans a low-cost trip to Vietnam with friends and will save or invest most of the proceeds.
  • The jacket ties to one of Chamberlain's signature seasons: the Lakers beat the Knicks in 1972, and the Hall of Famer won Finals MVP.

Insights

Why did a historic NBA jacket sell for $60,000 below its estimate, signaling a potential shift in the sports memorabilia investment market?
How does a $3 thrift find become a $90,000 treasure, and what overlooked details separate worthless items from priceless historical artifacts?
What market forces and technologies are turning secondhand clothes into a legitimate and lucrative alternative asset class for savvy investors?