A set of Michael Jordan jerseys and different collectibles bought for $8.5 million at a New York public sale Monday. Bidding started final month, in response to Sotheby’s.
Jordan’s Bulls jersey from the 1996-97 season fetched the very best value, promoting for $4.7 million. Sotheby’s estimated that it will promote for between $4 million and $6 million.
The jersey — which he wore for a complete of 20 video games, together with when he scored 45 factors in as many minutes towards the Seattle Supersonics in February 1997 — was considered one of two purple jerseys he wore that season, and considered one of 25 whole jerseys, lots of which he wore for only one recreation.
“This jersey symbolizes not simply Michael Jordan on the peak of his superstar and prowess, but additionally a pivotal second in basketball historical past,” mentioned Brahm Watcher, Sotheby’s head of contemporary collectibles, in a press release. “At this time’s outcomes spotlight the enduring energy of the game-worn market, particularly these items related to Michael Jordan’s greatness.”
The American flag Jordan draped over his shoulders through the 1992 Olympics gold medal ceremony to cover his jersey’s Reebok brand noticed 45 whole bids; it bought for $1.8 million, Sotheby’s mentioned. It’s signed by Jordan, in addition to Dream Crew members Charles Barkley, Larry Hen, Clyde Drexler, Patrick Ewing, Magic Johnson, Christian Laettner, Karl Malone, Chris Mullin, Scottie Pippen, David Robinson and John Stockton.
Jordan’s 1988-1989 season house jersey — which the public sale home referred to as a “unicorn” on condition that homeowners of his ‘80s jerseys hardly ever half with them and he wore fewer jerseys in his early years — bought for practically $1.1 million, shy of its anticipated $2 million value, Sotheby’s mentioned. It could have been his solely house jersey for the season for that cause, and was believed to have been worn in his 53-point recreation towards the Phoenix Suns, one of many 31 video games wherein he scored greater than 50 factors throughout his profession.
A signed 1998 playoff jersey from his “The Final Dance” season that was confirmed to have been used when he performed towards the New Jersey Nets within the first spherical of the Japanese Convention sequence, bought for $840,000.
Jordan’s follow jersey and signed sneakers from his days on the College of North Carolina, which bought for $132,000, got here with letters of provenance from Charles E. Ragan, who was the varsity’s assistant gear supervisor from 1982 to 1985, in response to Sotheby’s.
The sale comes after six Air Jordan sneakers — one apiece from the final video games of the 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 1998 championship sequence — sold for $8 million at a Sotheby’s public sale this 12 months.
The very best public sale value for any single piece of Jordan memorabilia was $10.1 million for his jersey from the primary recreation of the 1998 NBA Finals, in response to Sotheby’s, which dealt with the sale in 2022. The second pair of sneakers he wore within the sequence was bought via Sotheby’s final April for $2.2 million, a document for a pair of sneakers, and an unused ticket to Jordan’s 1984 debut with the Bulls was bought via Heritage Auctions in 2022 for $468,000 — over 55,000 instances the face worth.
Contributing: AP
