Quinn Brown's One-in-a-Million Find
In January 2026, 19-year-old Quinn Brown picked up a vintage warm-up jacket from the Los Angeles Lakers at a British thrift store for just $3.07. The jacket turned out to have once belonged to NBA icon Wilt Chamberlain. After the purchase, authentication by Sotheby's and SIA Photo Match confirmed its link to the 1972 NBA Finals.
Experts compared the jacket to photos of Chamberlain from the 1972–73 season, his final year in the league. It is now listed in a Sotheby's auction, with an estimated value ranging from $150,000 to $250,000.
Quinn Brown: 'He just dropped it right in front of me, and I grabbed it immediately.'
Brown also noted, 'I was told my jacket matches the 1972 NBA Finals.' He mentioned being aware of the record-breaking sale of a jersey from the same final, which went for $4.9 million: 'That's the same jersey he wore under my jacket.' Quinn Brown's story continues to highlight the immense value of sports memorabilia.
The Growing Appeal of Sports Collectibles
This event underscores the rising interest in collecting sports artifacts, especially those with deep historical significance. Buying the jacket for a pittance and seeing it valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars shows how the market for sports relics can offer substantial financial rewards.
It may inspire other collectors to keep an eye out for potentially valuable pieces of sports history hidden in plain sight.