ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
© Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
MARKETREALIST.COM / ECONOMY & WORK

'Antiques Roadshow' guest says 'that is a lot of money' after hearing the value of his JFK jacket

The guest had a connection to a woman whom JFK was once dating.
PUBLISHED MAY 15, 2025
Screenshots showing the guest and expert on "Antiques Roadshow." (Cover image source: YouTube | BBC Antiques Roadshow)
Screenshots showing the guest and expert on "Antiques Roadshow." (Cover image source: YouTube | BBC Antiques Roadshow)

Black leather jackets may not seem like the usual artifacts or vintage timepieces that turn up on “Antiques Roadshow,” but sometimes the historical significance of a garment makes all the difference. One such jacket was valued at a ridiculous price since it belonged to the former US President John F Kennedy. His belongings are valued so much to this day because he was one of the most popular presidents in American history.

The expert on the show loved the story of how the jacket came into the guest’s possession and said that at auction, it would sell for $264,000 to $396,000. The guest wasn’t expecting this, even though the jacket’s former owner was JFK. “That is a lot of money,” he said as the crowd around the two was also astounded by how valuable it was.

It turns out that JFK had once visited France, where he had fallen in love with a girl. The two had a relationship that did not last too long, as he had to go back to the United States. After returning home, the former President got married in a matter of months. However, he had left the jacket with the girl he had dated during his time in France, and she never gave it back to him.

Screenshot showing the jacket on
Screenshot showing the jacket on "Antiques Roadshow." (Image credit: YouTube | BBC Antiques Roadshow)

The woman had three children and a nephew. The jacket was given to the nephew, and that person was the guest’s father’s best friend. He gave the jacket to his father, and that’s how it ended up with the guest. The guest had also conducted his own research on the conde



 

“The story is everything. Please write it down, put it in the pocket. I feel confident the market will pay that price,” the expert added. Items belonging to JFK are often valued at high prices. On an earlier episode of the PBS version of “Antiques Roadshow,” one guest brought what she claimed to be the former US President’s briefcase. She said that JFK frequented his uncle’s cobbler shop for shoe shines and one day left the case there. By the time he came back for his next shoe shine, Kennedy had already replaced the briefcase and given the old one as a gift to the guest’s uncle. His initials were stitched on it as well. This was a historic item, and the guest knew that it was going to be worth a good amount of money. As per the expert, an auction estimate for it would be between $20,000 to $30,000.



 

The expert even called it an important piece of American history, as JFK held the briefcase’s handle and kept his lunch in it. It’s safe to say that the former President is still something of a celebrity.

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
The co-founders of 'The Better Bedder' got the partner they were looking for in the queen of QVC.
1 hour ago
The fans did not believe that any of the prizes were as good as winning cash.
2 hours ago
The expert said that the history of the watch would at least double its value.
4 hours ago
The shark also took a jab at Kevin O'Leary and the idea of partnering with another shark.
6 hours ago
The card had a manufactuting defect but that is what made it so valuable.
1 day ago
He didn't believe he'd make any money on them and offered a ridiculously low price.
1 day ago
The contestant still managed to be in the lead after quickly learning from her mistake.
1 day ago
The guest was surprised to learn that it was by one of the top artist's of the time.
1 day ago
Despite the loss, the player called making it to the show a dream come true for her.
1 day ago
The host also poked fun at the contestant who answered for now knowing where the city was.
2 days ago
The guest ran a hard bargain, but the item was iconic enough to be worth that much money.
2 days ago
While the player, James, didn't get to play his dream game, he aced the one he got to play.
2 days ago
The best part was that a lot of those hilarious answers did appear on the board.
3 days ago
He got an expert to inspect the letter as it was too good to be true that it had landed in his shop.
3 days ago
The guest said that she often wore some of the jewels that were worth several thousands.
3 days ago
Mark Cuban described his business model as horrible, but still made an offer.
3 days ago
The expert had no idea whether the item was real without a test that could only be done in the US.
3 days ago
Harrison could have had a unique item in his store but his stubbornness cost him big time.
3 days ago
The shark had said that he was out earlier but came back in to swoop the deal away from the others.
4 days ago
The player was on a roll before she entered the bonus round and ran out of luck.
4 days ago