Man Thrifts Pair of Nike Sneakers—Then Learns How Much They’re Really Worth

A bargain hunter in California has told Newsweek of his surprise at finding a pair of pristine Nike sneakers in his size at a local thrift store and discovering how much they could be worth.

Thrifting is proving to be a popular pastime for bargain-hunting shoppers today. Between 16 and 18 percent of U.S. adults now shop at thrift stores each year, according to an analysis by Capital One Shopping.

It is understandable when you consider some of the bargains that have been uncovered by eagle-eyed customers in the past.

Many of these finds are not only purchased for a bargain price but also worth significantly more at resale. There was the $5.99 thrift-store lamp that one man later discovered was worth $350.

A $5,000 Louis Vuitton dress was also found in one store for just a fraction of that price. Then there was the $3 statue that was discovered to have been made from marble dating back to the 19th century.

The sneakers discovery made by William Ponseti, based in California, can now be added to that growing list.

When he first set eyes on the pair of Nike Dunk High Varsity Maize sneakers for just $38 in his local thrift store, it felt like they were destined to be together.

As Ponseti is an avid sneakers fan, the fact the shoes came in his size made purchasing a no-brainer. “I found them at a local thrift store,” he told Newsweek. “I thought they were cool, and I tried them on.”

Having established the shoes were a good fit, Ponseti decided to do a quick search online “out of curiosity” to see what he could find out about them and find out how much they would usually sell for second hand. “I looked them up to see what they were called,” he said. “I was really surprised. I was already planning to get them, but that kind of sealed the deal.”

What Ponseti discovered when he looked the sneakers up was that they had a resale value of anywhere between $500 and $1,000. “It just shocked me that they would resell for so much,” he said.

Eager to bask in the glow of his thrift-store find, Ponseti took to Reddit, posting under the handle u/Weekly-Knowledge9208 to show off the sneakers and their potential resale value.

Some commenting on the post were skeptical over his figures. “No one is paying close to $500 for those,” one user said. Another disagreed, writing: “I actually found the same pair for about $20, sold them during covid (2020 I think) for $600 and did a Nike by you custom dunk high in the same colorway.”

Ponseti is waiting to see if he will be as lucky. “I have them listed online right now, but if they don’t sell, I’ll probably just wear them,” he said.

In the meantime, Ponseti is continuing to search through thrift stores in the hopes of finding a few more bargains. “I’m still thrifting casually,” said.