“The most valuable athletic shoes ever to be auctioned, the 1984 Nike Air Ships worn by Michael Jordan during the regular season, just sold for $ 1,472,000 at our luxury sale in Las Vegas,” he said. Sotheby's auction house said in a statement posted on Twitter.
The sneakers, red and white, were worn by the American basketball legend in Game 5 of his first season with the Chicago Bulls and have become iconic both on and off the court. They were sold for nearly $ 1.5 million taxes included ($ 1.2 million taxes not included). An astronomical price, well above the record held by a pair of Nike Air Jordans which sold for $ 615,000 in August 2020 at an auction organized by Christie's. The sneakers were in good condition, with signs of wear from play, Sotheby's detailed. The pair were a gift from Michael Jordan to Tommie Tim III Lewis, who was a ball collector for the Denver Nuggets during the 1984-1985 season.
Last April, a pair of Nike Air Yeezy 1 sneakers, worn by rapper Kanye West - bought by an investment platform through a private sale - smashed all records reaching $ 1.8 million ( 1.5 million euros), at Sotheby's.
The market for rare sports shoes, considered a niche market ten years ago, is booming, and arouses the interest of collectors and the general public.