A find worth a small fortune. An American association discovered sneakers produced in a very limited series in its donation bin. They have just been sold at auction for several tens of thousands of dollars.
A pair of sneakers abandoned in an association’s donation container, sold for more than $50,000. This is the funny story experienced by an American NGO, culminated in a record sale by the Sotheby’s auction house on December 18, 2023.
The sneakers in question? The model Spike Lee x Air Jordan 3 Gold Oscarsa special edition in golden leather with black and white details and red lining, created exclusively for the American filmmaker whose name they bear. It therefore includes, in addition to its unique color, the logo of its production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks. The American actor and director wore the pair on the Oscars red carpet in 2019 to collect the statuette given to him for his film Blackkklansman. An important detail: the sneakers were only made in five copies and were never sold in stores.
Narrative ellipse. In 2023, the Portland Rescue Mission association opens its donation bin and discovers, between two sweaters, the pair of metallic shoes. Without being an expert in sneakers, the NGO smells the exceptional item and decides to have the product authenticated by a store specializing in the sale of sneakers. The verdict falls: these are Spike Lee x Air Jordan 3 Gold Oscars. What confirms Tinker Hatfield, the Nike sneaker designer himself. The American, who designed the pair himself, immediately put his signature on the box of the shoes in order to increase their value.
For a good cause
Entrusted to the Sotheby’s auction house, the Spike Lee x Air Jordan 3 Gold Oscars in size 43.5 were estimated between $15,000 and $20,000. They were finally purchased from $50,800on Monday, December 18, 2023. All proceeds from the sale benefit the Portland-based nonprofit, which has been helping the homeless and those struggling with addiction since 1949. Gold sneakers.