Walking into Goodwill, most folks don’t anticipate discovering anything beyond a gently used sweater or a dog-eared novel. Yet, for Christopher Kidney from the humble town of Flemingsburg, Kentucky, a routine trip to the thrift store turned into a tale for the annals of treasure-hunting lore. His modest haul, costing less than a $20 bill, was nothing short of a collector’s dream, featuring signed baseball memorabilia that would make any sports aficionado green with envy.
Among the treasures Christopher spotted were autographs from significant ballplayers like CC Sabathia, Don Mattingly, and Chuck Knoblauch. Toss into this mix a Super Bowl XLII card bearing Plaxico Burress’s signature, and you’d think he’d hit the jackpot. Yet, the pièce de résistance was perhaps the most storied find of all—a baseball proudly bearing the signature of none other than Yogi Berra, the Hall of Fame catcher for the New York Yankees and the master of the malapropism.
“When I saw the names on the cards, I could tell they were real based on the brand,” Kidney confided to Newsweek, his voice carrying the glee of someone who’d spent years perfecting his craft. In a world where skepticism often reigns supreme, Kidney had the last laugh. Rallying the support of his dedicated collector’s community, he validated the authenticity of his haul and later sold it for a cool $500. Not a bad payday for a casual stroll through a resale emporium!
The gravity of Kidney’s find bears down on its historical implications. Yogi Berra, despite his penchant for humorous, topsy-turvy quotes known as “Yogi-isms,” had a formidable career marked by ten World Series wins—a record that’s yet to be rivaled. The notion that a signature from such an iconic figure would casually inhabit the shelves of Goodwill is not merely a stroke of luck; it’s akin to discovering a nugget of gold in a sandbox.
One can hardly keep such an electrifying find under wraps, and Kidney was no exception. The story swiftly made waves on Reddit, where Kidney, a known contributor to memorabilia forums, posted snapshots of his treasures under a caption that read, “Incredible, still shaking.” Internet denizens responded en masse, catapulting the post to viral status with over 1,500 upvotes and an avalanche of comments—from envious collectors to sports lovers basking vicariously in Kidney’s good fortune.
However, it appears Lady Luck may frequent this particular Goodwill location. Only weeks prior, Kidney unearthed another gem—a signed copy of a book by the legendary Honus Wagner dated back to 1949, which he retrieved for the astonishing price of $1.59. Clearly caught in a Bermuda Triangle of fortuitous finds, Kidney mused on whether his late grandfather, a former scout for the Reds and the Cardinals, had divinely orchestrated these discoveries. “For $1.59, I found one of baseball’s greatest player’s autographed book! I’m amazed,” he reflected, adding a touch of sentimentality to his otherwise triumphant find.
While flipping these treasures provided considerable financial gratification, Kidney’s motivations delve deeper. He attributes his knack for these discoveries to his loved ones and his community. “It’s very important to me that I give credit to my family—my beloved wife Ashley—and my best friends Brad and Christopher Davisson,” he acknowledged. For Kidney, the profit is just icing on the cake; the real prize is the fellowship and passion shared with those closest to him.
So next time you pass a row of used board games and dust-covered VCR tapes in the second-hand paradise that is Goodwill, remember Kidney’s felicitous tale. Hidden in plain sight could be a piece of history anew, just begging to be recognized and cherished, promising that untapped stories—and perhaps the next great fortune—remain ripe for discovery.
