A vintage warmup jacket worn by basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain during the 1972 NBA Finals has been discovered in an unlikely place — a thrift store bin. The jacket, found by a teenage thrifter named Quinn, was authenticated by Sotheby’s and is now expected to fetch as much as a quarter-million dollars at auction.

Quinn, who began thrifting at a young age alongside his sister Ellie, had no prior knowledge of sports memorabilia when he stumbled upon the long, narrow jacket marked with Chamberlain’s name on the back. The item was initially discarded by another shopper and left in a bin among other secondhand clothing. Quinn purchased the jacket for just over three dollars before continuing his regular day of searching for vintage apparel.

Uncertain about its authenticity and value, Quinn researched the jacket's size and design that evening, comparing it to similar items sold previously. Measurements closely matched those of a Chamberlain jacket auctioned a decade earlier for $56,000, but the provenance was still uncertain. He then shared images of the jacket on social media, where it drew attention from respected vintage sellers and experts in sports collectibles.

Sotheby’s contacted Quinn and subsequently authenticated the jacket, confirming it as the one Chamberlain wore during the Lakers’ 1972 championship run against the New York Knicks — Chamberlain’s last NBA title. Given its rarity, with perhaps only about 20 pieces from Chamberlain still in existence, the auction house arranged for the jacket to be collected from Quinn’s home under heavy security due to its high estimated value.

Quinn, who averages about $13 per item sold on reselling platforms, was surprised by the find and plans to use the proceeds from the upcoming July auction to travel and invest. He expressed appreciation more for the experience of thrifting than the potential financial windfall. “It’s hard to find anything from Wilt,” Quinn said, noting that such items seldom come to market.

The discovery sheds light on how memorabilia from sports figures, especially those dating back decades, can sometimes surface in unexpected venues. Quinn speculated that the jacket may have been lost or overlooked, possibly after its last owner passed away. Chamberlain himself died in 1999, yet this piece has endured through time to be rediscovered by a young enthusiast.

For now, Quinn continues to frequent thrift stores, balancing the thrill of the hunt with the knowledge that exceptional finds like the Chamberlain jacket are rare. His journey highlights both the unpredictability of thrift shopping and the value historic sports artifacts can hold long after their original use.