A set of six sneakers worn by Michael Jordan during the basketball Hall of Famer’s six NBA title-clinching victories sold for a record $8,032,800 at an auction on Friday.
According to auction house Sotheby’s, the price fetched by the Air Jordan footwear in “The Dynasty Collection” was a global record for game-worn sneakers, ESPN reported.
Sotheby’s, which had taken the sneakers on an exhibition tour last year to sell them on behalf of the current owner, had placed an estimate of $7 million to $10 million on the group, according to Sports Collectors Daily.
#AuctionUpdate The complete set of Michael Jordan’s 6 championship sneakers sold for $8 million today at #SothebysNewYork, setting a new global auction record for game worn sneakers. pic.twitter.com/l1jgFea4c0
— Sotheby's (@Sothebys) February 2, 2024
“The Dynasty Collection” is the second-highest amount paid for Jordan memorabilia. It trails only the $10.1 million paid for a jersey that Jordan wore in Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals, Sports Collectors Daily reported. That item was sold in September 2022.
The set sold on Friday included one sneaker each -- an Air Jordan VI sneaker from 1991, along with an Air Jordan VII (1992), Air Jordan VIII (1993), Air Jordan XI (1996), Air Jordan XII (1997), and Air Jordan XIV (1998), CNN reported. Jordan autographed each sneaker, according to Sports Collectors Daily.
After each of Jordan’s six titles -- he was also MVP of the Finals in those six series -- he was photographed with only one shoe on, ESPN reported. Jordan had gifted one of his shoes to Chicago Bulls public relations executive Tim Hallam, who had requested the sneaker if the team won the 1991 NBA title.
Jordan, who was suspicious, continued the tradition after every one of the Bulls’ subsequent titles, the cable sports outlet reported.
Also included in the lot was a set of signed photographs by Jordan, showing the Bulls superstar after each championship, Sports Collectors Daily reported. Jordan was shown celebrating wearing one sneaker, because he had already surrendered one to Hallam in the locker room.
Sotheby’s said it obtained the sneakers from a private American collector, who had bought them from Hallam, according to CNN.
“Today’s record-breaking price is a testament to the GOAT,” Brian Wachter, Sotheby’s head of modern collectibles, said in a statement. “The Dynasty Collection undeniably ranks among the most significant compilations of sports memorabilia in history. (A) truly unparalleled moment and milestone in auction history, the sale of these six championship-clinching sneakers will likely never be replicated.”
© 2024 Cox Media Group
