HILLSBORO, Ore. (KPTV/Gray News) – A thrift store find could now sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
A routine treasure hunt at a Hillsboro Goodwill store in January has turned into a find of a lifetime for 19-year-old Quinn Brown.
The Portland resident said he discovered a Los Angeles Lakers warm-up jacket that has since been authenticated as one worn by NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain.
Brown said he spotted the gold-and-purple Lakers jacket in someone else’s hands. But when that person put it down, he quickly picked it up.
“He just threw it in front of me, and I immediately grabbed it,” Brown said.
For just $3.07, the jacket was his.
Brown said he had an inkling the jacket may be the real deal. So, he posted a photo of it on Instagram, where it caught the attention of Sotheby’s, one of the world’s largest auction houses.
Before long, the jacket was on its way to New York, where it was professionally authenticated through SIA Photo Match.
“They said your jacket has been matched to the 1972 NBA Finals. I knew the NBA Finals jersey sold for $4.9 million. That’s the jersey he wore under my jacket,” Brown said.
According to Sotheby’s, the jacket was also photo-matched to images of Chamberlain wearing it during the 1972-73 NBA season, his final season in the league.
The jacket is currently up for auction at Sotheby’s with an estimated value of $150,000 to $250,000.
“Quinn’s story is the perfect example of how hunting for treasures at Goodwill is thrilling and, in this instance, just magical,” Hayley Platt, public relations manager for Goodwill Industries, said.
Brown is no stranger to thrifting. He began reselling as a high school junior and, about three years later, turned it into a full-time career with more than 10,000 sales.
Brown said he continues to spend 15 to 20 hours a week digging through Goodwill Outlet bins in search of the next hidden gem.
“I got so lucky with my Wilt Chamberlain jacket, and it’s an amazing feeling to find something like this. I was just doing this because I enjoy it, never expecting anything like that,” Brown said.
Bidding for the jacket opened Wednesday and runs through July 20.
Brown said he plans to save the proceeds from the auction, hoping the financial windfall will help him retire early.
The 19-year-old is also embracing his newfound Lakers fandom.
“I am a Lakers fan. I have a Wilt Chamberlain book on my dresser, a Wilt Chamberlain card that was a gift from my friend, and I’m hoping to find some vintage Wilt Chamberlain shirts to wear,” he said.
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