PORTLAND, Ore. — Erin Holcomb watched the countdown of the final minutes of the auction on Monday and couldn't believe it: The sale price continued to rise for the rare, gold Nike Air Jordan 3s that were anonymously dropped into the donation chute of the Oregon shelter where she works in Portland .
“In the last five minutes, it just kept going up, and every time we saw that number increase, there were people crying and clapping,” Holcomb, director of staff ministries for the Portland Rescue Mission, told The Associated Press.
The sneakers, one of a handful of custom pairs created for filmmaker Spike Lee, ultimately sold for $50,800 – more than double the predicted retail price. All proceeds benefit the Portland Rescue Mission, which has been helping people struggling with homelessness, hunger and addiction since 1949.
“We couldn't believe it,” Holcomb said. “The generosity of this moment was a great celebration for our entire organization.”
About 20 people, mostly staff, gathered Monday morning to watch the auction live on a large TV screen in one of the shelter's meeting rooms, Holcomb said. Among them was James Free, a formerly homeless man who found the shoes while sorting donations and brought them to the attention of staff. Free has been living at the mission for the past several months as part of the long-term shelter program, Holcomb said.
“I'm so happy to be a part of this,” Free said in a press release shared by the shelter after the auction closed. “I love this place and I'm so happy this story is being shared.”
The sneakers were auctioned at Sotheby's. They were auctioned along with a replacement box and other Nike merchandise donated by Tinker Hatfield, who custom designed the sneakers for Lee in 2019.
Lee wore his pair to the Academy Awards that year, when he accepted an Oscar for his “BlacKkKlansman” screenplay. The donated sneakers were not Lee's personal pair, but were among a pair made for him to distribute to his inner circle, the Portland Rescue Mission said.
Hatfield visited the shelter and authenticated the shoes. Nike is based in nearby Beaverton, Oregon.
Holcomb said the money from the auction will help fund services at the downtown Portland shelter, which provides food and access to bathrooms and showers, as well as health care, housing and employment. It serves about 6,000 people and 300,000 meals annually, Holcomb said.
“That building is open 24/7, 365 days a year,” she said. “It is a very beautiful, useful gift and it is part of a much bigger story of generosity in our community.”
The identity of the person who donated the shoes remains a mystery.