Flea market find brings in $140,000 at auction!
Man finds $140,000 secret in flea market jacket
Roger Malone loved browsing for used clothing at flea markets. He had already discovered many hidden treasures and later sold them for a profit. He was particularly interested in old designer clothing.
And so, he came across a beautiful green jacket. Roger could hardly believe its condition. He decided that it was time to not just sell it on eBay. He decided to auction it at a real auction house. He was curious to see how much money he would get for it.
Looking back
On the day when Roger wanted to auction off his green jacket, the auction house was filled with potential buyers. He looked at his jacket and remembered how he got it.
For years, he had loved searching for clothes in thrift stores and flea markets. One day, he spotted this gem. It seemed to shine brighter than the other items.
Out of place
Roger browsed through the long rows of clothing racks at the thrift store and searched countless corduroy garments, many of which were almost free, to see if there were any designer models among them.
Roger had to make his way past the tacky biker jackets and coarse denim hybrids. It seemed like there was nothing special today. But then something green caught his eye, and he couldn't believe it.
The patch
He hastily took the jacket into his hand and looked closely at the pocket. It was his intuition that urged him to take a closer look. Over the years, he had learned to trust his gut feeling.
Roger couldn't believe what he saw sewn onto the outside of the pocket. Cheap clothing didn't have such patches sewn on. This was an elaborate and therefore expensive decoration.
Snapping it up
Roger knew he had to take the blazer home. He had to hurry before someone else stumbled upon it and took it for themselves. So, he went straight to the cashier and bought it.
If only Roger could confirm his suspicion, he could be sitting on a lot of money. He just had no idea how the blazer could have ended up in a thrift store and collect dust.
Just $5
To the untrained eye, this jacket must have looked like something only a crazy person would wear. Accordingly, the blazer was priced affordably. So affordable that Roger didn't even think about negotiating.
$5 might have been too much for anyone who had looked at the blazer so far and didn't understand its value. But Roger knew it was a bargain. He just had to look at the label inside to make sure he was right.
Something missing
When Roger arrived home, his excitement began to fade. As he tried to find clues of a well-known brand label, it suddenly seemed like it wasn't a valuable piece after all.
He knew there had to be another indicator on the jacket. If only it hadn't been so worn out. If the blazer came from the house that Roger suspected, how did it end up in this second-hand store?
Unintelligible
Roger hoped that the second label was still there. He hadn't taken a risk with the low purchase price, but it would be annoying if the label had disappeared by now.
The only letters he could decipher on the jacket were a G and an A. What could it all mean? Roger couldn't come to any conclusion. He had to try to decipher it completely.
Suspicious
Roger knew that this was a jacket from the Masters Augusta National Golf Club. What made it so rare was that these jackets were only given to members who won the Master's Golf Tournament.
And even then, the winners were not allowed to wear these jackets outside the club for more than a year. No wonder the owner had torn his name off the label.
Strange rules
Roger had always been fascinated by the wild rumors about the strange, cult-like golf club that he had heard over the years. Wearing a member's jacket (every member of the club receives one) outside the club grounds is strictly forbidden.
And when it comes to the Masters Green Jackets - which he definitely had in his hands - they cannot even be taken off the premises, except in the first year after their presentation.
Locked away
If you keep an Augusta jacket, you will be expelled from the golf club. But that's not the only strange rule that members of the elite club have to follow. Some of these rules have been criticized for being outdated, contradictory, and just plain strange.
Giving tips and using a cellphone is not allowed, and passing tickets for tournaments can land you in jail. Plus, you can't apply to become a member at Augusta. You have to be invited.
Searching for information
Nobody outside the club knows how many members there are. Yet Roger needed answers. The first step was to reach out to golf friends and a few "specialists."
Everyone stared at Roger's find and begged him to sell it to them. He politely declined. He was also a fan of the sport and it was incredible to have this in his house. But the world of golf collectors wouldn't leave him alone.
It was time
Back then, Roger decided not to sell the jacket. For years, he had been approached by people asking if he had changed his mind and was interested in selling it.
And for years, his answer had been no. But life brought difficult circumstances that made sentimental attachments impractical. So one day, he picked up the phone and announced that he would finally auction it off.
Fierce buyer
A golf journalist from Britain was so confident that he would get it that he asked to keep it during the event to ensure nothing happened to it.
When the auctioneer announced the opening bid of $5,000, Roger snorted in surprise. Not bad for a $5 investment. So what was the final offer?
Huge profit
The British journalist had not promised too much. He had indeed fought in the auction and won the golf jacket after a heated bidding war for $139,349!
People politely applauded, and Roger could finally let go of the story. It was painful to see his beloved blazer go into someone else's hands, but at least that person would appreciate it.
Exclusive Club
The question that everyone asks is, "Why so much?!" Firstly, it's because of the logo on the chest pocket from Augusta National Golf Club. It is one of the most exclusive and coveted places in the world for anyone who swings a golf club.
The club was founded over 90 years ago by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts and opened in 1932. In 1949, it finally became a prestigious tournament symbol.
Jacket rules
Unlike many other non-profit clubs, Augusta is a for-profit club. Since it doesn't release numbers or disclose its operational information, little is known.
How does the jacket contribute to all this? Well, first of all, anyone who is a member is allowed to wear one – but it is strictly forbidden to wear it outside the club grounds. Why?
Membership
As is known, only tournament champions are allowed to wear the bright green symbol outside the club grounds, and only for one year. They also have their names embroidered on the back label.
To further highlight this, wearing one carries considerable influence. While anyone can come in and play, being a member is different. One difference is the membership fee.
In the thousands
It costs between $10,000 and $30,000 just to join (and get your blazer). After that, you are expected to pay an annual fee of around $10,000.
Guests are welcome today too, but that wasn't always the case. Until a few years ago, there were some discriminatory rules that the club strictly enforced.
Recent changes
Women were not allowed to play. Players could only be white, and caddies had to be black. So it was old, white, rich men among themselves. Actually, a reason to steer clear of the club.
In 1990, Ron Townsend, a colored jazz musician, was accepted as a member. In 2012, the club succumbed to public opinion and pressure, and finally allowed two women to participate in the tournament.
Secrets
There is a miles-long fence around the meticulously maintained course to keep animals of all kinds away. In the past 65 years, only one deer has been spotted on the property.
Visitors often wonder why they never see squirrels. There is also the mystery of the missing birds. Apparently, the club places great emphasis on its members not coming into contact with animals.
Mystery
Birds are rarely seen at Augusta National – and it's something that is often discussed among members and visitors. Although bird sounds can be heard during televised tournament broadcasts.
There is even a rumor that these bird sounds are artificially played to create the illusion of an untouched nature. Thomas Boswell of The Washington Post has even commented on it.
Nowhere to be found
"Moreover, there are no birds, squirrels, insects, or any other living creatures native to planet Earth at the Masters. Nowhere on the grounds," said Boswell.
"Well, somewhere there must still be some. But Dave Sheinin of the Post and I spent several days searching for a single bird sighting. So far, none. Those bird calls you sometimes hear in the Masters broadcast? The source remains undiscovered." Then there are the ponds.
Artificial Lakes
The sparkling, pristine lakes that appear flawlessly on television have been artificially enhanced. Golf Digest tested the water at one of the holes in 1996 and found that the lake contained blue food coloring.
And although these lakes are teeming with bream and bass, players don't talk about fishing there because it is prohibited. Since fish don't come on land, they were likely approved by the club management.
A Lonely House
Strangely, there is a house next to Augusta National in a free parking lot. But the owners adamantly refuse to sell it. Over the years, they have turned down millions of dollars from the club.
Next to the parking lot is an empty plot of land where a whole neighborhood used to stand, now only this one house remains. The club spent $40 million to buy and level all the other houses.
Unsolved
While Roger will likely never find out who owned the Masters jacket, he made a tidy profit of $139,349 with a $5 secondhand store jacket.
According to experts, it originated sometime in the 1950s. No one knows how the jacket ended up in a secondhand store in Canada, but Roger was lucky enough to stumble upon it.
Comments
0 comment