Spike Lee's Gold Air Jordan 3s Sold for $50,000 in Auction

A few years have passed since we first saw Spike Lee break out his all-gold "Tinker" Air Jordan 3s at the 2019 Academy Awards, and now the sneaker has resurfaced on the auction block.

The story of how this specific sneaker ended up at Sotheby's is also an interesting one. Back in April, workers at the Burnside Shelter that's operated by the Portland Rescue Mission in Portland, Oregon, were sifting through the items that had been donated to the facility. As they made their way down to the bottom of the donation bin, the all-gold "Tinker" Air Jordan 3 was uncovered.

Tinker Hatfield, the legendary designer behind the Air Jordan 3 silhouette, was informed about the mysterious donation. He visited the Portland Rescue Mission and brought along the sneaker's missing elements, including a replacement box and a framed design proof.

Sotheby's expects this gold "Tinker" Air Jordan 3 to fetch between $15,000 and $20,000, with the current bid at $7,000. It's worth mentioning that proceeds from this auction will benefit the Portland Rescue Mission. Readers who are interested in placing a bid can do so from now at Sothebys.com until Dec. 18.

UPDATE (12/23): The auction for Spike Lee's gold "Tinker" Air Jordan 3 has officially closed on Sotheby's and fetched $50,800, which is significantly higher than the estimated $15,000 to $20,000 price. All of the proceeds from the sale will benefit The Portland Rescue Mission.