Who would have thought that a $5 check would eventually be auctioned for a staggering $12,000?

Back when Michael Jordan was still a student at the University of North Carolina, he participated in a pool game. At that time, the young Jordan had not yet become the basketball superstar we know today—he was just an ordinary college student. In the match, he was defeated by his opponent and lost not only the game but also $5. Coincidentally, he didn’t have any cash on hand, so he issued a $5 check to his opponent, with the amount written and his signature—MJ—on it.

Years later, Jordan went from being a college student to a global basketball icon. With millions of people admiring him, that $5 check, too, saw its value soar. In 2019, the check was put up for auction and eventually sold for $12,000, a price that was over 2000 times its original value.

So, if you ever receive a friend's signature, don’t just toss it away. Who knows, it might multiply in value!