A memorabilia collector picked up a warm-up jacket once worn by basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain for just $3.07 at a Goodwill thrift store in Portland, Oregon, having correctly identified it as authentic despite its bargain-bin price tag. The jacket subsequently sold at auction for $89,000, turning a modest thrift-store punt into a windfall and highlighting the huge sums collectors will pay for genuine sports memorabilia tied to iconic figures like Chamberlain, one of basketball's greatest and most statistically dominant players.

The purchase price of $3.07 against a final sale of $89,000 represents a profit of $88,996.93 for the buyer. The find underscores the ongoing appeal of "thrifting" for rare and valuable items, with collectors continuing to scour charity and second-hand shops in the hope of uncovering overlooked treasures.