A set of sneakers became the most expensive ever when they went on sale at Sotheby’s.
Sneakers have become a highly collectible item which can fetch huge amounts of money at auction.
As with any collectibles, some items are the holy grail for enthusiasts, and those with the wallets to fund their collection.
But what was it about these sneakers which made them so special?
There is one factor which can turn a previously un-noteworthy item into one that could fetch millions.
For example, many Bibles printed in the 19th century might look very impressive, but Bibles from this time are actually extremely common.
They might not be ten a penny, but we’re generally not talking more than a few hundred dollars, with some notable exceptions.
One of the most expensive sneakers ever sold, but why was it so expensive? (Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
But let’s say you have a bible which was owned by Abraham Lincoln, then suddenly something which was nice but unremarkable becomes very special indeed.
And this reason is why these sneakers fetched a price of $8 million at auction. So who are they connected to?
The 1998 Michael Jordan ‘Championship Clinching’ game-worn Air Jordan Sneakers at Sotheby’s (Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
It’s probably no surprise that the sneakers were previously owned by basketball legend Michael Jordan.
But in the case of the set, called The Dynasty Collection, it actually went even further than that.
That’s because each of these six shoes was worn by Jordan during six of his NBA championships – ones that he won.
Who else but Michael Jordan? (Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
The collection was started by Chicago Bulls public relations officer Tim Hallam when he asked for one of Jordan’s shoes after the championship in 1991.
After that every time Jordan won a championship Hallam would ask for one of his shoes, resulting in The Dynasty Collection.
The collection on display (Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
Together they represent the career of one of the biggest legends in basketball.
The second-most expensive sneakers sold are also connected to Jordan.
These are The Last Dance sneakers.
As the name suggests they are the pair that he wore during his final championship with the Chicago Bulls in 1998, called the ‘Last Dance’ season.
These sold for $2.2 million in 2023 – the most expensive price ever paid for a single pair of sneakers.
Other items sold at Sotheby’s include paintings by the likes of Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, and Mark Rothko.
Another astonishing item was a handwritten draft of Bohemian Rhapsody, written by Freddie Mercury in biro on British Midland Airways stationary, even including verses which were later abandoned in the final song.
