How about selling common beach sand to a Tom Brady memorabilia collector?
Brady announced his second (and avowedly final) NFL retirement from a cozy spot on the beach in Miami-Dade's Zelig-like hamlet of Surfside on February 1. Marketing geniuses have since been jarring up sand they purport to have taken from the location of the momentous announcement and offering it for sale on eBay, with bids reaching into the tens of thousands of dollars.
There are literally tons of beach sand that could be taken from that vicinity — and if Surfside town officials aren't careful, they could wake up tomorrow morning to a gaping hole in the shoreline where Brady once stood.
At the time of this writing, one listing for Brady retirement sand has attracted more than 120 bidders who've jacked up the price to $99,900.
The seller, one gadgetgs, claims the jar is unique.
"You will find no other listing like this. No one else took a sample on Feb. 1st after the GOAT posted his real retirement. You will be owning the very land the GOAT retired on," writes the seller, who has received 100 percent positive feedback from 487 reviews. (Then again, gadgetgs doesn't seem to have dabbled in the sand trade until now. They apparently specialize in liquid hand soap.)
Meanwhile, countless other listings are popping up from folks looking to cash in on the craze.
What was Brady doing in Surfside?
Well, he has a home under construction on Indian Creek Island, AKA Billionaire Bunker, about a mile away from the oceanside location where he nearly shed a tear while announcing his retirement. He and his then-wife Gisele Bundchen bought the property in 2020 for more than $17 million but have since split, finalizing their divorce late last year.
With less than 40 properties, Indian Creek Island is a pricey enclave that's home to celebrities, wealthy investors, and billionaire executives.
Among Brady's soon-to-be new neighbors are Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, who recently bought a sprawling residential compound on the island. While gearing up to move into their Indian Creek home, the power couple has been making do with a swanky six-bedroom rental in Surfside, where neighbors reportedly schooled them in the ways of Florida condo commandos and beach etiquette. (One woman is said to have scolded Ivanka for walking her dog on the beach.)
The NFL legend's retirement video was his second such attempt at hanging up his jockstrap. In early 2022, Brady announced that he was retiring from professional football, only to change his mind and jump back into the 2022-2023 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Truly grateful on this day. Thank you 🙏🏻❤️ pic.twitter.com/j2s2sezvSS
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) February 1, 2023
The 2022 change of heart was undoubtedly a tough break for a collector who bought Brady's would-be final touchdown ball for more than a half-million dollars. (The sale was reportedly voided after Brady revealed he was not actually retiring.)
While this past season was not Brady's best performance statistically, he led the Buccaneers back to the playoffs before losing to the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC wild card game.
Brady, who was the oldest active player in the league at age 45, is finishing his storied football career with seven Super Bowl wins and as the all-time league leader in passing yards and touchdowns.
When the quarterback broadcast his second retirement revelation, Axios writer Martin Vassalo recognized the buildings in the background and was able to pinpoint the location.
The intrepid ex-Miami Herald reporter found the spot near a dune in front of the Fendi Chateau Residences.
