(CNN) – A mysterious donation of rare Air Jordan sneakers that someone left at a homeless shelter in Oregon in early 2023 brought more than $50,000 raised at auction back into the organization.
It all started in April when a pair of gold sneakers were anonymously thrown into a donation chute at the Portland Rescue Mission's Burnside shelter, Erin Holcomb, the organization's director of human resources, told CNN.
James Free, a former homeless man who now participates in the organization's long-term housing program, found the sneakers. The unique-looking shoes were set aside because they appeared to be in perfect condition, Holcomb said.
A quick Google search revealed that the sneakers resembled a pair of gold Air Jordans that director Spike Lee wore to the 2019 Academy Awards, when he won his first Oscar, according to Holcomb.
“So we thought, 'Wow, what incredible replicas,'” Holcomb said. “In my head I thought, 'Maybe we can sell them as replicas on eBay for $100.'”
Holcomb decided to take them to a local sneaker shop, where he discovered that they were one of a few pairs made in collaboration with Lee for the director and his inner circle. Sotheby's confirmed to CNN that they were never sold to the public.
“I was shocked because never in a million years would I have imagined that they would end up in our donation bin. But of course I was excited and surprised,” Holcomb said.
James Free holds a pair of gold Nike Air Jordan 3 sneakers at the Portland Rescue Mission. (Source: Aaron Ankrom/Portland Rescue Mission/AP)
The store owner immediately offered to buy him the sneakers, but Holcomb told him he would think about it.
He soon realized that Sotheby's had previously auctioned off at least one pair of the other custom sneakers. He then contacted the global auction house, who told him that they thought the sneakers would be perfect for auction later in the year.
“They offered to waive the vendor fees,” Holcomb explains, so that all profits would go to the organization.
He contacted designer Tinker Hatfield, who agreed to donate a previously unpublished design concept board that he had used in his collaboration with Lee, as well as a replacement box for the shoes. Hatfield, a Portland native, even came to the mission to sign the memorabilia the day before Holcomb flew to Manhattan to deliver the shoes in person.
An auction date was set and Sotheby's estimated the sneakers would sell for between $15,000 and $20,000.
In a statement to CNN, Sotheby's explained what made the pair of sneakers so special, even though Lee didn't wear them.
“With their limited production and unique design, along with Tinker's signature on the packaging and design credit, these sneakers are a true collector's item,” Eric LiBassi, streetwear and modern collectibles specialist, said in the press release from Sotheby's in New York.
“This pair is one of the few that were made. Apparently they were reserved for Spike and a few other people on his team,” LiBassi said. “Spike and Tinker collaborated to develop a color line to commemorate their Oscar nomination for the film BlacKkKlansman.” A color combination is the term a designer uses to refer to a color combination.
On December 18, more than a month after Holcomb delivered the shoes, the auction was activated and the rescue mission threw a party.
The shoes sold for $50,800.
Spike Lee accepts the award for Best Adapted Screenplay for “BlacKkKlansman” at the Academy Awards on February 24, 2019 in Los Angeles. (Image credit: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
“There was a lot of applause… cheers, hugs. People were so excited and giving high fives, it was a fun moment to see this incredible story come to a really beautiful end,” said Holcomb.
“It's amazing how this all came together. I’m lucky to be a part of it,” Free said in a video posted to the mission’s Facebook page after the auction concluded. “This will help a lot of people in a lot of different ways, so thank you for this opportunity.”
The origins of the Air Jordan shoes and who bought them remain a mystery, something for which the Portland Rescue Mission staff is truly grateful.
“Whoever bought it, I think they really put a beautiful end to an incredible story and we are very grateful to the person who gave it, whoever it was. They were willing to take the risk of trusting us with these shoes,” he said Holcomb.
Holcomb said proceeds from the auction will benefit the Burnside Animal Shelter where the shoes were found.
“It expands our ability to provide meals, overnight accommodations and the essential services we provide there. We can get a lot of meals out of this huge donation,” Holcomb said. “This is the busiest time of year and we currently have a lot of demand (for) our services.”
The organization receives more than 120,000 pounds of donated clothing each year, all of which goes to people in need — gold Air Jordan sneakers are a rare exception, Holcomb said.
“We couldn’t keep our doors open without so many people donating in small but important ways so we can continue to serve the people here,” he said. “These sneakers contribute to that, but I think the bigger story is really the generosity of our community.”