A pair of sneakers worn and signed by Michael Jordan from an early set of games in his rookie season could fetch nearly US$500,000 at a generation-spanning basketball and baseball memorabilia auction.
Jordan’s sneakers, which already had a high bid of US$140,000 at the time of publishing, are one of 22 pairs on offer, all consigned by a former ball boy who worked for the Detroit Pistons for three seasons between 1983 and 1986. Other player sneakers going under the hammer include pairs from Atlanta Hawk Dominique Wilkins, Detroit’s Isiah Thomas, and Boston’s Robert Parish. This is the first time any of these shoes have been put up for sale, according to Robert Edward Auctions (REA), which is handling the sale. The online-only auction closes Sunday.
Alongside the various sneaker lots is a PSA-rated 10 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan card from his third season currently selling for US$130,000.
The auction is dominated by baseball pieces, such as an SGC-graded 8 1910 Ty Cobb T206 card, with the current highest bid at US$115,000.
REA president Brian Dwyer says that the Cobb card was undiscovered until the auction house sorted through a large array of memorabilia spanning the first half of the 20th century from a late collector. Dwyer adds that this is the first known example with this specific advertisement for cigarettes on the back.
Moving through the 20th century, a signed 1951 Bowman card from Mickey Mantle’s rookie season on offer is considered a rare example of the Yankees legend signature on an early career card. The PSA-rated 2 card with a 9-rated signature is currently going for US$150,000.
As for more recent sports collectibles, the auction includes a 1993 Upper Deck SP Foil Derek Jeter rookie card rated PSA 10. Jeter is becoming a more sought-after name in the memorabilia market, with a signed ball from his little league team fetching US$36,000 in a May 2020 auction. The rookie card is currently going for US$180,000.
“This is a card that’s tough to find in ‘gem’ condition,” Dwyer says.
Jordan game-worn items, in particular, remain some of the strongest sellers in sports. A game-worn jersey of his from the 1998 NBA Finals sold for US$10.1 million at a Sotheby’s auction in January 2023.
