Michael Jordan tennis ball sells for record $8 million at auction

A collection of six sneakers worn by NBA champion Michael Jordan sold for $8 million at a Sotheby’s auction on Friday, breaking the record for the most expensive sneakers ever sold at auction.

Known as the “Dynasty Series,” the sneakers were worn by Michael Jordan during the 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, and 1998 championship games.

The sale also includes a limited edition set of photographs signed by photographer Bill Smith, depicting Michael Jordan celebrating in a pair of sneakers after the 1992, 1993, 1996 and 1998 NBA Finals.

The sale broke the record for the most expensive sneaker ever sold at auction, making it the second most expensive item of Michael Jordan memorabilia and adding to another record already held by the former basketball player, according to Sotheby’s The Deal: The most expensive pair of sneakers ever sold at auction last April for $2.2 million.

Michael Jordan’s jersey from last season’s famous Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals last dancesold for $10.1 million at a Sotheby’s auction in September 2022, becoming the most expensive game-used sports memorabilia ever sold.

Michael Jordan won 6 NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls, and won the Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) award 6 times and the league MVP 5 times.

Jordan signature sneakers

Before the Bulls won their first Finals in 1991, longtime Bulls communications director Tim Hallam made a request to the future champions in a much-discussed NBA story. He asked him for some personal items in case the Chicago Bulls won: a pair of Air Jordan sneakers he would wear during the game.

After the game, Jordan accepted, signed and gave the sneakers to Hallam, a tradition that continued for years in player superstition. Later, the current owner, an American private collector, acquired the sneakers from Hallam.

Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s director of modern collections, said in a statement: “Today’s record price is a testament to the GOAT (greatest of all time).”

“This is truly an unparalleled moment and a milestone in auction history, and the sale of these six championship sneakers may never be repeated,” he added.

Other auctions

Jordan’s shoes aren’t the only piece of celebrity memorabilia on sale this week, as they are the only paintings known to have been created and signed by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison. the Beatles The work sold at Christie’s New York on Thursday for $1.744 million, three times its expected price.

The psychedelic painting, titled “Image of a Woman,” is said to have been created in the presidential suite of the Tokyo Hilton Hotel during the quartet’s 1966 tour of Japan.

The painting was part of a so-called “special sale” at Christie’s, which also included Elvis Presley’s Fred Gretsch guitar (sold for $302,400) and a gold crochet vest by Janis Joplin, among other items, but none sold. auction.

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Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler auctioned off 120 guitars and amplifiers from his collection at Christie’s in London on Wednesday for $11 million. The sale broke the world record for the most expensive 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard Vintage, according to the auction. British Broadcasting Corporation. Part of the profits will be donated to the British Red Cross, Tusk and North East Bravehearts charities.

In addition, football star Lionel Messi’s first contract with Barcelona signed on a napkin will be sold at London’s Bonhams auction house in March and is expected to fetch up to $400,000.

Other high-profile items slated for auction include a painting of Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II, who abdicated earlier this year; an Aston Martin owned by Rush drummer Neil Peart; and an Aston Martin from the hit Netflix series Collection of hundreds of clothing and accessories from TV series crown.

This article was originally published in Forbes USA

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