A pair of “Air Jordan” sneakers found a buyer for a record 517,000 euros at an auction.
A pair of Air Jordan 1 sneakers worn in a match by Michael Jordan himself was sold on Sunday for $560,000 (517,000 euros) by Sotheby’s, an all-time record for sneakers. These two red, white and black shoes, made in 1985 and autographed by Michael Jordan, dethroned the “Moon Shoe”, one of the first pairs produced by the Nike equipment manufacturer and sold in July 2019 for $437,500, also at Sotheby’s.
This result testifies to the wind of madness that currently affects all objects related to the legendary basketball player, following the broadcast of the documentary “The Last Dance” (the last dance) about the saga of Jordan’s Bulls, by ESPN in the United States and Netflix in the rest of the world. It also confirms that “sneakers” now have a full place in the world of wealthy collectors, alongside more traditional works.
The pair of Air Jordan 1 Chicago, the most iconic model of this generation, far exceeded the top of The estimate range given by Sotheby’s, at $150,000 (low estimate at $100,000).
In addition to the #TheLastDance series is sold at Sotheby’s, Nike’s first signature Air #Jordan pair for MJ. Sportune (@Sportunefrance) May 12, 2020
“The most iconic sneakers of all time”
The Air Jordan 1 is the first model specially created by Nike for Michael Jordan and worn by the player during his first season in the NBA, the prestigious North American basketball league, under the jersey of the Chicago Bulls. “I think these Air Jordans worn in a match are the most iconic sneakers of all time,” the seller, collector Jordan Geller, told AFP at the start of the sale.
“There is more interest than ever around Michael Jordan,” he added, “and (this pair) is the most valuable collector’s item currently on the market.” Unlike the Pair of Air Jordan 1, the “Moon Shoes” sold last year had never been worn. Before Sunday’s sale, the record for a pair of sports shoes worn by an athlete was held by the leather shoes with which Briton Roger Bannister became the first athlete to run the mile in less than 4 minutes (1954). They were bought in 2015 by an anonymous collector at a christie’s auction in London for $409,000.
