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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteMichael Jordan’s signed, game-worn 1985 Air Jordan 1 player-sample pair brought $560,000 at Sotheby’s in May 2020. The often-quoted $672,000 figure includes a reported 20% buyer’s premium; it was not the amount Sotheby’s announced as the sale result. The auction set a sneaker record at the time, but later sales have surpassed it.
Was $672,000 the auction price?
No. Sotheby’s reported that the pair sold for $560,000. New Atlas described the headline total of $672,000 as that result plus a 20% buyer’s premium. The figures describe different price conventions: the announced sale result and a premium-inclusive total. [Sotheby’s sale announcement; New Atlas report]
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Air Jordan 1 Low Men's Shoes (Midnight Navy/White/University Blue) Size 10.5 | $115.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Nike Men's Air Jordan 1 Low Black/Particle Grey, Black/Particle Grey/White, 11 | $120.00 | Buy on Amazon |
Sotheby’s estimated the lot at $100,000–$150,000 and said the $560,000 result was more than 3.5 times its high estimate. The auction house also reported that bidding rose by $300,000 in the final 20 minutes. These figures are Sotheby’s account of its own sale. [Sotheby’s sale announcement]
What made this pair different from a retail Air Jordan 1?
The lot was a pair of Nike Air Jordan 1s made as player samples exclusively for Jordan, not a standard pair sold to the public. Sotheby’s described them as game-worn and autographed, and said they came from collector Jordan Geller’s collection. Its catalog records a size 13 left shoe and a size 13.5 right shoe, red laces, and Jordan’s black permanent-marker signature on the right shoe. The sample also used construction and materials that differed from the public-release versions. [Sotheby’s catalog]
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- Encapsulated Air-Sole unit provides lightweight cushioning.
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The catalog identifies the production marking “850204 TYPS” as referring to production between February and April 1985 and a Tong Yang player sample. Sotheby’s distinguishes the Mid sample from the High and Low public versions released by Nike. That makes the sold shoes a one-off collectible with specific provenance, rather than a proxy for the price or rarity of a retail Air Jordan 1. [Sotheby’s catalog]
How did the 2020 sale compare with later sneaker auctions?
Sotheby’s said the 2020 result surpassed the previous sneaker auction record, the $437,500 Moon Shoe sale in 2019. It was a record at that point, not a current record established by the available reporting. The Associated Press later reported a $2.2 million sale in 2023 for a single pair Jordan wore in Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals, and an $8 million sale in 2024 for a collection of six pairs of Jordan championship sneakers. The six-pair collection is not a like-for-like comparison with the 2020 single-pair lot. [Sotheby’s sale announcement; Associated Press retrospective]
Rank #2
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| Sale | Lot | Reported amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Moon Shoe; prior sneaker-auction record cited by Sotheby’s | $437,500 |
| 2020 | Jordan’s signed, game-worn 1985 Air Jordan 1 player-sample pair | $560,000 reported by Sotheby’s; $672,000 including the reported 20% premium, according to New Atlas |
| 2023 | Single pair Jordan wore in Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals | $2.2 million, as reported by AP in 2024 |
| 2024 | Six-pair collection of Jordan championship sneakers | $8 million, as reported by AP; AP called it a record for game-worn sneakers |
The amounts and descriptions above come from Sotheby’s and AP reporting; the $672,000 premium-inclusive figure comes from New Atlas. The reporting establishes these milestones, not a complete ranking of every sneaker auction through 2026. [Sotheby’s sale announcement; New Atlas report; Associated Press retrospective]
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the headline amount needs context
A large auction figure can refer to the announced result or to a total that includes a buyer’s premium. Here, the distinction changes the reported number by $112,000. It also matters when comparing sales: check whether the lot was one pair or a collection, and whether the cited amount includes fees. The available reports do not establish a comprehensive current ranking of all sneaker auctions.
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