Ontario thrift shopper finds autographed Vince Carter shoes at Value Village

Finding a diamond in the rough is every thrift shopper's dream.

There's no better feeling than scavenging through other people's trash to find that potential cheap thrill.

That was exactly the case for one Mississauga man, who walked into his local Value Village and came out with an unreleased, limited edition pair of Nike basketball shoes signed by Toronto Raptors legend Vince Carter — all for $79.

The Nike Shox VC 1 shoes were found by the man at a Mississauga Value Village. (@qastradamus/Instagram)

The owner, who wishes to remain anonymous for security reasons, says he always checks the display case area during his thrift store visits to see what sought-after finds have arrived.

A few months ago, he spotted a signed pair of basketball shoes in what appeared to be a Toronto Raptors colourway.

"It screamed Raptors, then the signature and No. 15 that caught my eye," the man recalls. "My first reaction was: 'Why hasn't anyone picked these up yet?'"

When he asked a store clerk to take the shoes out of the case for a closer look, other shoppers began to gather around. A quick internet search from the man confirmed what was in front of him: a signed, unreleased version of Carter's signature sneaker, the Nike Shox VC 1.

"I was floored," the man told blogTO. "I remember everyone around me being excited as well."

The Mississauga man says he picked up the pair of autographed shoes for $79 after tax. (@qastradamus/Instagram)

The rare size 16 sneakers were priced at $99.99, but the man took advantage of a Tuesday seniors promotion, which applied a 30 per cent discount to the listed price. He ended up paying $79 after tax for a signed pair of Vince Carter shoes.

As soon as he got home, the man posted photos to an NBA sneaker thread on Reddit to try to discover more about what the shoes' value could be. The post quickly gained traction and had thousands of upvotes and nearly a million views within a week.

Despite the attention, the man says only one person reached out with helpful information.

"A hardcore Vince Carter collector in the U.S. messaged me and said he had a similar pair," the man said. "He didn't know the exact value, but said he wouldn't let his go for anything under US$3,000."

If he chose to sell them, the collector said the man could make more than 35 times the price he bought them at Value Village, but it isn't something he's considering.

The man has no plans to sell the shoes and believes the find was meant to be.

Vince Carter played for the Toronto Raptors for six seasons between 1998 and 2004. (Toronto Raptors/X)

He grew up a diehard Raptors and Carter fan, but never had opportunities to attend games or buy merchandise. Now, with a newborn son, it's a passion he hopes to pass down.

"It would be nice for my newborn son to have something from one of the Raptors' golden eras," the man said. "Especially a pair of shoes from the greatest Raptor to ever play in Toronto."