When Quinn Brown went to the Hillsboro Goodwill store in Portland, Ore., in January, he never expected to wind up in the headlines a few months later. The 19-year-old spotted a gold-and-purple Lakers jersey in someone else’s hands, but when the person put the jersey down, Brown quickly snapped it up. For just $3.07, the jersey was his. He said he had an inkling that the jersey may be the real deal, so he posted a photo of it on social media, where it caught the attention of Sotheby’s, one of the world’s largest auction houses. Before long, the jersey was on its way to New York, where it was professionally authenticated. It turned out that the jersey was from the 1972 NBA Finals and was worn by legend Wilt Chamberlain. The jersey is currently up for auction at Sotheby’s, with an estimated value of $150,000 to $250,000. Bidding for the jersey opened Wednesday and runs through July 20. 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 says he spends 15-20 hours a week digging through Goodwill bins in search of hidden gems. This time he really hit the jackpot.
