Thomas Plummer Men

The most expensive sneakers in history

By Thomas PlummerPosted on Posted in Men's Tennis

How much would you pay for a pair of sneakers? $200, $500, over $1000? Then how about $10 million? That's how much was paid at auction for a Nike Air Yeezy 1 "Grammy" worn by Kanye West, which puts him at the top of the list of more expensive sneakers of history.

  • 9 Men's Sneakers You Should Own (classic sneakers)
  • Nike sneakers are (well) more expensive; but why did the price go up?

The pair was auctioned for US$ 1.8 million by auction house Sotheby's. The figure broke the previous record of an original used Air Jordan 1 High "Chicago" signed by Michael Jordan that sold for US$ 615,000.

There are pairs of sneakers that cost a fortune - and some people pay for them. Here are the most expensive sneakers in history, according to their sale value (most were auctioned).

Nike Air Yeezy 1 "Grammy" - US$1.8 million

The Nike Air Yeezy 1 version (yes, Kanye was Nike before he had a successful partnership with Adidas ) was created exclusively for West in 2008 and worn by him during a performance at that year's Grammy Music Awards. It was the first time the world saw the silhouette, which features a black perforated leather upper combined with a strap in the middle of the foot and a pink "Y" clasp.

Nike Air Jordan 1 "Chicago" High - US$615,000

One effect of being the greatest athlete in the history of a sport - and probably in all sports - is this: everything you wore while playing is worth a lot. According to auction house Christie's, responsible for the sale, this pair of AJ1s was on the feet of Michael Jordan during a friendly match played in Trieste, Italy, in the summer of 1985.

Nike Waffle Racing Flat "Moon Shoe" - US 437,500

Original from 1972, this sneaker is a landmark of Nike history It is also one of only 12 pairs of "Moon Shoes" made, and believed to be the only one never to have been worn. Before the sale, the shoes were expected to bring between $110,000 and $160,000. It went way over.

Converse Fastbreak - US$ 190 thousand

It is the most expensive sneaker ever worn in a real game. Worn by Michael Jordan, of course, this pair of Talk Fastbreaks were probably on the court during the USA basketball team's campaign at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Michael Jordan, the team's young star, signed the pair.

Buscemi 100 MM Diamond - US$ 132,000

One of the rare models that does not have a history attached to it, this sneaker owes its value to the material with which it was made. The pair is loaded with 2.3 grams of diamonds and 18-carat gold. No doubt the white sneakers most expensive in the world.

Nike Air Jordan 12 "Flu Game" - US$ 104,000

Flu-like symptoms struck Michael Jordan in the hours before Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals. He decided to play and, although visibly worn out and tired all the time, scored 38 points and won the game for the Chicago Bulls. The game became immortalized as the "Flu Game" and the pair of sneakers worn that day was sold in an online auction in 2013.

Nike Air Jordan 12 OVO "Drake Edition" - US$ 100,000

Same model as the "Flu Game", the Air Jordan 12 has always been popular. The version of the sneaker made in partnership with Drake and called OVO, in reference to the name of his record label, October's Very Own, was even more successful. The model appeared on the feet of sports stars, rappers and various celebrities. And someone found it easy to pay $100,000 for it on an internet site.

Nike Air Force 1 Diamond Encrusted - US$50,000

Yes, it's kind of like your regular Nike Air Force 1, only with lots of diamonds. The Diamond Encrusted Air Force 1 from rapper Big Boi is not the world's rarest sneaker, but it is covered in champagne diamonds. The musician auctioned off his pair to raise money for his Foundation.

Nike Air Jordan 11 "Jeter" - US$40,000

To celebrate the retirement of baseball player Derek Jeter, in 2017 Jordan released five pairs of an Air Jordan 11 in navy blue velvet. All were sold at an auction near Yankee Stadium - the stadium of the New York Yankees, where Jeter made his career.

The shoes have the famous number "2", from the player's jersey, on the heel, in white. Three of the five pairs are locked up and exposed in US stores, and the remaining two would cost a small fortune - if the owners were willing to sell.

Eminem X Carhartt X Nike Air Jordan 4 Retro - $30,000

Eminem has collaborated with Nike several times throughout his career, creating a number of exclusive and consequently expensive designs, but none have topped the triple collab between the musician, the clothing brand Carhartt, and Jordan Brand. The trio has auctioned off an extremely limited number of pairs to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Shady Records, with all proceeds going to the Marshall Mathers Foundation- A total of $227,000 was raised.

Bonus: Solid Gold OVO x Nike Air Jordan 11 - US$2 million

Unlike the previous ones, this is not a sneaker that had a fixed sale value. But it is known how much it cost to make. And the price comes from its 24k gold plating, which gives the Solid Gold OVO x Nike Air Jordan model its name. Designed by Drake in partnership with Nike, the sneakers were created by American artist Matthew Senna. Each foot weighs more than 22 kg.

Scroll to top