Collectible sneakers: Pair worn by Michael Jordan up for auction

Sotheby’s will put the NBA champion’s 1984-1985 Chicago Bulls season sneakers up for auction in May, as enthusiasm for collectible sneakers grows.

A pair of red sneakers worn by NBA champion Michael Jordan during the 1984 and 1985 season, at the start of his Chicago Bulls basketball career, is expected to fetch over $100,000 and possibly much higher at an online auction next month, Sotheby’s said on Wednesday. The auction house has estimated the red and white “Air Jordan 1” sneakers at 100,000-150,000 Swiss francs ($110,000-$164,000). Another pair, identical but bearing Jordan’s autograph, was sold for $560,000 at an auction last year. “They are obviously a pair of iconic design and something that really collectors focus on as one of the (Holy) Grails and one of the ‘must-have’ pieces,” said Josh Pullan, managing director of Sotheby’s global luxury division.