The Pair Of Air Jordan 1s In The Chicago Color Scheme The Most Emblematic Model Of Its Generation Are Autographed By The Nba Legend Himself
A pair of Air Jordan sneakers worn in a game by Michael Jordan sold for Rs 4,24,62,028 at Sothebys auction house, an all-time record for basketball shoes.
The white, black and red shoes, made for Jordan in 1985 and autographed by the NBA legend himself, dethroned the reigning Moon Shoe, one of Nikes first sneakers, a pair of which sold in July 2019 for $4,37,000, also at Sothebys.
The latest sale highlighted the soaring market value of objects identified with the retired basketball superstar since the release of The Last Dance, an ESPN/Netflix documentary that chronicles the saga of Jordan and his Chicago Bulls.
It also confirms that the lowly sneaker now has a place of pride in the world of wealthy collectors alongside more traditional collectibles.
The pair of Air Jordan 1s in the Chicago color scheme, the most emblematic model of its generation, easily surpassed Sothebys pre-sale estimate of $1,00,000-$1,50,000.
The Air Jordan 1 is the first model specially created by Nike for Michael Jordan, who wore them in his first season in the NBA.
I think the game-worn Air Jordan 1s are the most iconic sneakers of all time, the seller, collector Jordan Geller, told AFP at the start of the sale.
They are so recognizable and they conjure up so much nostalgia, which I think gives them a very special appeal. The fact that these shoes were game-worn by Michael Jordan takes them to a whole other level, he said.
A Pair Of 1985 Jordan 1s Signed By Jordan Himself Is Selling For $1m On Ebay
The Air Jordan 1 has come a long way since its debut in 1985. Now a classic and iconic silhouette, the shoeâs original models and shades have only increased in scarcity and price. But a new listing on eBay has surfaced a pristine version of the original sneaker â for only $1,000,000.
Talk about a headline. The sneakerâs pricing landed it on Complexâs, where haters descended upon the Air Jordan 1, claiming the shoes werenât worth the listing price and doubting the sneakerâs preservation. Other commenters appreciated how the million-dollar footwear came with free shipping. Truly, its existence is mind-blowing.
Jump for these Jordans â Said Air Jordan 1 is unworn, signed by Michael Jordan himself, and boasts a certificate of authenticity from eBay. According to the listing, there are only 15 to 20 sets of deadstock pairs in this SKU, with only two â this one being one of them â publicly verified and decorated with the iconic rookie signature.
The listing goes on to claim these Air Jordan 1s arenât just original, but rather made for Jordan himself. They appear in the mismatched size 13 and size 13.5 combination favored by âhis Airness,â as the seller calls Jordan. This size guarantees the shoeâs authenticity, the listing claims. There is no such thing as an original Air Jordan size 13.5 for retail sale. But why would Jordan sign a pair of shoes specifically made for him, unless resale was always part of the plan?
Michael Jordan: Rare Trainers Fetch $615000 At Auction
A pair of trainers worn by basketball legend Michael Jordan fetched $615,000 at an online auction on Thursday.
The Nike Air Jordan 1 High sneakers, described as the “rarest of the rare”, were used by the Chicago Bulls star in an exhibition game in 1985.
In total, Christies sold nine pairs of Jordan’s shoes to celebrate his 14-year career with the team.
There is a big market for rare trainers and collectors can pay high prices.
Michael Jordan is considered to be the best basketball player in the history of the game, and became a global icon in the 1980s and 1990s, helping to raise the NBA’s profile around the world.
A recent Netflix series, “The Last Dance,” has renewed interest in his life.
Christies said the shoes, which belonged to US firm Stadium Goods, were the “greatest” collection of historic Michael Jordan footwear ever offered at one time.
All the shoes were made by Nike, which sponsored the player for much of his career.
The Air Jordan 1 High’s, which had an estimated sale price of $650,000- $850,000, were the top lot. During the game in which they were used, Jordan memorably dunked the basketball so hard that it shattered the glass backboard.
Others up for sale included:
“Put simply, Michael Jordan and his signature line of footwear set the foundation for modern basketball and the worldwide phenomenon of sneaker collecting,” Christies said.
Read Also: Cheap Flights From New York To Chicago
The One That Started It All: A History Of The Jordan 1
- DateAugust 24, 2017
Whatever adjective you want to ascribe to it, the most telling thing about the Air Jordan 1 is that the Air Jordan 1 exists because Michael Jordan didn’t want to sign with Nike. As history would have it, Jordan’s favorite shoe to ball in during college was Converse’s Chuck Taylor, a shoe that no one would dream of seriously playing in today. But Jordan loved the shoe and wanted to sign with Converse as his career in the NBA began.
Nike drove a hard bargain . The pitch from Nike was comprehensive: they were going to create a whole brand around Jordan, push him forward as the face for the brand, and make his wildest dreams come true. But Jordan wasnt convinced: he didnt like the shoes Nikes soles were too thick, he couldnt feel the court under his feet. Nike capitulated on that point, it was an easy change for them to make. So they did, and the Air Jordan 1 was born. What happened over the next few years would change the direction of Nike and sneaker culture forever.
Follow Pete on Instagram here.
Nikes creative director, Peter C. Moore, was tasked with designing Jordans first shoe. The rookie gave Moore a little direction , and initially hated what Moore created saying, Im not wearing that shoe. Ill look like a clown. But the shoe design that weve come to know grew on him and it was time to release it to the masses.
Jordan 1 “Black Toe”
Until, of course, Jordan retired.
Jordan 1 “AJKO”
Jordan 1 “New Love”
Until it came back for good.
How $20000 1985 Chicago Air Jordan 1s Are Professionally Resoled

- The Cobblers is a shoe-repair shop in Miami.
- The shoe it’s working on today is a rare pair of 1985 Chicago Air Jordan 1s.
- Its cobblers are going to show us how they replace the soles for this pair of shoes.
Following is a transcript of the video.
Narrator: My name is Derrick Winje. I am the director of sneaker operations at The Cobblers in Miami, Florida. Today, we’re gonna be sole-swapping a original 1985 pair of Jordan Chicago 1s with a donor sole. And these actually released in 1985, with a retail of just $65. For reference, the same pair in 1985 for $65 is now in the aftermarket, brand new, for about $20,000, and that’s if you can even find a pair. The first step that we need to do is acquire a donor shoe. In this case, the client had provided a donor shoe, which is actually the 2015 Retro, which is merely just a rerelease of the shoe. On this particular pair, the customer requested that we leave the upper of the shoe, which is all of the leather. He did not want it cleaned. He did not want it painted. He didn’t want any conditioners. So we need to carefully take off the sole without, you know, damaging the sole or altering anything.
Don’t Miss: Cheap Cars For Sale In Chicago
These Are The Top 23 Most Expensive Air Jordan 1s
Few descriptors are too superlative for the Air Jordan 1. It’s an iconic sneaker that changed the footwear and sports industries, then transcended its roots to become beloved in hip-hop, skateboarding, and fashion.
Lofted to legendary status by its famous banned legacy, the One That Started It All has been released in almost countless OG and non-OG colorways, and as part of many collaborations alongside skateboarder Lance Mountain, designer Virgil Abloh, and football club Paris Saint-Germain, among others.
Emphasizing just how influential and popular the silhouette has become since its initial release in 1985, 2018 saw no less than 60 Nike Air Jordan 1 releases, many of which were highly coveted and sold out upon release. Its no secret that certain AJ1s can demand a hefty price on the resell market. Recent colorways such as Virgil Ablohs Chicago Off-WHite x Nike Air Jordan 1, both Art Basel iterations from 2018, or the Union Los Angeles collaboration immediately come to mind when discussing the most valuable Air Jordan 1s.
Considering the Air Jordan 1 has over 30 years of history, we tapped StockX to find out which colorways really are the most valuable on the secondary market. Scroll through our ranking of the 20 most valuable Nike Air Jordan 1s to find out for yourself.
23. Off-White Nike Air Jordan 1 UNC
22. Travis Scott x Nike Air Jordan 1 Reverse Swoosh
21. Nike Air Jordan 1 Igloo
20. Nike Air Jordan 1 Banned 2011
Get A Closer Look At The Research And Design Process Behind The Upcoming 1985
Sometimes, you have to look back to go forward, to engage nostalgia and honor original thought. Largely regarded as the most iconic sneaker of all time, the Air Jordan I has had its fair share of retros approximating the original design. In celebration of the iconic silhouettes 35th anniversary, Jordan Brand designers studied every inch of the original 1985 AJI, in order to create its most careful and methodical re-creation in history. Taking years to perfect, this new, special-edition version accounts for every request that a young MJ shared with Nike designers for his first signature shoe.
The Jordan Brand design team began by dissecting original 1985 AJIs, consulting with 1980s-era footwear developers and factories and exploring the Department of Nike Archives. With an emphasis on shape, materials and construction, the team obsessed every detail, from collar height to leather thickness to the sidewall texture pattern on the outsole .
The team decided to honor the past with alternate visions of two classic colorways, Bred and Chicago. Each of them imagine those two iconic colorways in the form of an MJ-worn white/red PE and different color-blocking on the black/red/white classic.
Left: 2020 AJIs 85 / Right: 1985 AJIs High Bred Arguably the most noticeable feature is the collar height, which stands taller than recent AJI retros.
2020 AJI 85 Using only digital references, the design team re-created the hang tag to match the original, including hand-drawn details.
Recommended Reading: 2 Bedroom Apartments For Rent Chicago