A little worn but more famous than ever, the legendary white and red Nike Air, sports shoes "the most precious ever offered at auction", according to Sotheby's, have just taken off for the record sum of nearly 1.5 million euros. dollars Sunday October 24.
A price significantly higher than that of another pair worn by Jordan during his debut in the NBA, which had been sold 152,500 dollars (about 126,000 euros) last May.
Here, it is more exactly a model of "Nike Air Ships of 1984 worn by Michael Jordan during the regular season", specifies the house of sale in a statement published on Twitter, which was sold for 1,472,000 dollars. during a luxury sale organized in Las Vegas.
#AuctionUpdate The most valuable sneakers ever offered at auction — Michael Jordan's regular season game-worn Nike Air Ships from 1984 — have just sold at $ 1,472,000 in our luxury sale in Las Vegas.
#SothebysxMGM pic.twitter.com/OlxvZ1ETML
- Sotheby's (@Sothebys) October 24, 2021
This is a record price for shoes worn in matches, according to Sotheby's, which was previously owned by a pair of Nike Air Jordan, which sold for $ 615,000 in August 2020 at an auction held. by Christie's.
But they will not exceed that of the Nike Air Yeezy 1, worn by rapper Kanye West, bought for 1.8 million dollars (1.5 million euros) last April during a private sale at Sotheby's, via a platform of investment.
Signs of wear
Dressed in red and white, these were worn by American basketball legend Michael Jordan in Game 5 of his first season with the Chicago Bulls and have become iconic both on and off the court.
The market value of items related to the retired superstar has indeed skyrocketed since the release of "The Last Dance", an ESPN / Netflix documentary that traces the saga of Jordan and his Chicago Bulls.
To read also "The Last Dance": 5 reasons to watch the documentary on the career of the champion
The sneakers sold on Sunday 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.
The sneakers never presented to the public were also sold at the same sale at 20,160 dollars - Nike Air Jordan 11 Retro x OVO "Gold", a collaboration between the brand and rapper Drake.
Astronomical sums which prove that the market for rare sports shoes, considered a niche market ten years ago, is booming, and arouses more and more the interest of collectors and the general public.