A pair of Air Jordans could set a new auction record

The Michael Jordan memorabilia craze doesn't appear set to stop anytime soon. Next month Sotheby's will auction off a pair of Air Jordan worn by the Chicago Bulls star during the 1991 NBA finals. This collector's item could set a new auction record for sports shoes less than five months after a similar pair made history.

Michael Jordan himself wore and signed (twice) these black sneakers. They come from the personal collection of a former Nike executive called Sonny Vaccaro. He received the pair as a gift after the first Chicago Bulls victory during the 1991 US basketball championship. This match made history since it was Michael Jordan's first NBA Finals appearance and Magic Johnson's last.

"The sneakers have remained in my collection for 30 years, and as Jordan's legacy has only grown as the undisputed greatest of all time, I feel that now is the time to share them and their story with a new generation," said Sonny Vaccaro in a press release.

The Air Jordan High Top Sneakers could fetch between US$500,000 and 700,000 and could become the most expensive sports shoes in history. A pair of Air Jordans 1 Chicago sold for US$615,000 dollars last August at Christie's, setting a new record for the basketball legend.

As the market for athletic sneakers is booming, Sotheby's managed to secure another pair of historic sneakers worn by Michael Jordan. The red and white Air Jordan Dunk Sole are the only model of this line to have never before been offered at auction, hence the very high estimate between US$600,000 and US$800,000.

The two Air Jordan pairs will be auctioned by Sotheby's on December 7 during "A Century of Champions" sale in collaboration Goldin Auctions. This sale comprises over 100 lots retracing 20th century sport history, with jerseys, business cards and other objects that once belonged to baseball, basketball, football and hockey legendary players.