Homeless shelter shocked after donated Jordans sell for over $50,000 at auction

An Oregon homeless shelter was blessed after a mysterious auction of rare Air Jordan shoes, which benefited the organization when it sold for over $50,000.

The pair of gold Jordans were gifted down the donation chute of the Portland Rescue Mission’s Burnside shelter in April, Director of Staff Ministry Erin Holcomb said, according to a report.

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James Free, who is affiliated with the Portland Rescue Mission’s long-term program, discovered the Jordans, and they were set aside, given their near-perfect condition.

A brief investigation into the shoes led to the discovery that the shoes bore an uncanny resemblance to the gold Air Jordans worn by Spike Lee to the 2019 Academy Awards, the report noted.

“So, we thought, ‘Wow, what amazing replicas,'” Holcomb said. “In my head, I thought, ‘Maybe we can sell them on eBay for $100 as replicas.'”

Holcomb took the shoes to a nearby sneaker shop, where it was revealed that the shoes were just one pair of a mere handful that Lee collaborated on and that had never seen a public release.

“I was absolutely shocked because I wouldn’t have ever in a million years imagined that those would have ended up in our donations bin,” Holcomb said. “But obviously I was thrilled and amazed.”

After rejecting an initial offer for the shoes, Holcomb reached out to Sotheby’s, and she worked with the auction house to set up a date and a partnership with the shoe’s designer, Tinker Hatfield.

“With its limited production and unique design, coupled with Tinker’s signature on the box and the design proof, these sneakers are a true collector’s item,” Eric LiBassi, a Sotheby’s Streetwear, and Modern Collectibles Department specialist, said.

“This pair is one of very few pairs made. They were reportedly reserved for Spike and a few others on his team,” LiBassi added. “Spike and Tinker worked to produce a colorway to commemorate his Oscar nomination for the film BlacKkKlansman.”

The shoes were expected to fetch $15,000 to $20,000, but on Dec. 18, they sold for $50,800.

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“There was tons of clapping … cheering, hugging. People were just really thrilled, and it was high fives, just a fun moment of seeing this amazing story come to a really beautiful conclusion,” Holcomb said, adding that proceeds from the sale will benefit the Burnside shelter.

“It expands our ability to do meals, and overnight shelter and the critical services we provide there. We can get a lot of meals out of this donation, which is huge. This is our busiest time of year, and we have a lot of demand [for] our services right now.”