The appetite of aficionados for sporting heritage objects is driving up prices.
Six different Nike Air Jordan sneakers worn in the 1990s by American basketball legend Michael Jordan were sold at auction on Friday for eight million dollars, a record for this unique lot, according to Sotheby's.
These are six separate shoes (not three pairs) that Michael Jordan gave to a Chicago Bulls communications executive, Tim Hallam, after each of his decisive games which allowed the club to win six NBA championships from 1991 to 1993 and from 1996 to 1998.
#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 purchase price reached at auction at Sotheby's in New York, eight million dollars, is a record for this atypical lot and the second ever reached for collectible sporting goods for Michael Jordan.
This “Dynasty Collection” has reached “the peak” of prices for these collectible sports objects, Sotheby's said in a press release without giving, as usual, any information on the buyer of this lot.
Last April, the company of Franco-Israeli tycoon Patrick Drahi sold at auction a pair of sneakers worn by Jordan during his last championship final in 1998 with the Chicago Bulls for $2.2 million.
“Jordan was missing a shoe”
The six shoes sold Friday are Air Jordan VI (1991), VII (1992), VIII (1993), XI (1996), XII (1997) and an Air Jordan XIV (1998).
Sotheby's says in its press release, supporting photo from 1993: with each victorious final, "by celebrating with cigars, champagne or by calling his loved ones, it was clear that Jordan was missing a shoe".
For works of art auction houses like Sotheby's, Christie's or Julien's, the appetite of buyers since 2020-2021 for objects from the heritage of sport and music has driven up prices.
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The record for the most expensive jersey in auction history is already for a Michael Jordan tunic, worn during his 1998 final ($10.1 million in September 2022), ahead of the jersey of Argentine footballer Diego Maradona , during the quarter-final against England at the 1986 World Cup (9.3 million in May 2022).