What are the most expensive Air Jordans in the world?
From the Air Jordan Blackout Edition to the pair worn by Michael Jordan himself when he helped the Chicago Bulls win the 1997 NBA championships, these rare sneakers command incredibly high prices.
Read on to find out what makes these high-priced Air Jordan shoes worth their weight in gold.
The Most Expensive Air Jordans in the World
This article covers the celebrity collaborations with Nike’s flagship Air Jordan sneakers that helped push their prices through the roof.
Here’s our list of the 10 most expensive Air Jordans in the world:
10. Air Jordan 11 Blackout Edition (Sample) – $21,780
The Air Jordan 11 Blackout Edition features a full black exterior to the sneaker, produced using black patent leather, a black mesh upper, and a black leather heel and midsole.
Breaking this otherwise all-black pair of Air Jordans is its icy clear outsole, which stands out even more due to the overall use of black throughout the sneaker.
The Air Jordan 11 Blackout Edition was originally intended for release in 2010 but never dropped in stores, making them highly sought after among collectors of vintage sneakers and sports memorabilia.
One pair sold for an impressive $21,780, which is roughly the same price as some of the most expensive matchbox cars ever sold.
Because they’re almost completely back, you can get away with wearing a pair of the Air Jordan 11 Blackout Edition on more formal occasions.
With that said, on closer inspection, they’re not going to pass as full-on formal shoes such as the Oxford.
The Air Jordan 11 Blackout Edition was designed by Nike’s legendary shoe designer Tinker Hatfield and was their first shoe to use a combination of patented leather and carbon.
9. Air Jordan 4 Retro Eminem Encore 2017 – $24,133
Some of the most expensive sneakers to bear the Air Jordan brand are made in collaboration with huge stars outside the world of basketball, for example, the Air Jordan 4 Retro Eminem Encore sneakers.
These high-priced sneakers were originally released in 2005, and in 2017 Eminem hooked up with StockX and raffled off pairs of the Air Jordan 4 Retro Eminem Encore.
The money received went to the Marshall Mathers Foundation, and the model has since gained additional value thanks to the high-profile charity campaign.
There are only 23 pairs in existence, with an average price of just over $22,000, and the most expensive pair selling for $24,133.
With a color scheme of dark blue and black, and featuring a grey sole, the Air Jordan 4 Retro Eminem Encore was created to celebrate Slim Shady’s “Encore” album launch.
Eminem is rarely out of the news to this day, having refused to perform at the 2022 Superbowl without 50 Cent joining him on the stage.
8. Jordan 4 Retro Travis Scott Purple (Friends and Family) – $24,470
Another expensive Nike Air Jordan sneaker that earns its high price in part due to the collaboration with a prominent hip hop star is the Jordan 4 Retro Travis Scott Purple sneakers.
This Friends and Family edition of an iconic Air Jordan is made from a purple suede base, with black grid mesh material along with matte lacewings.
It’s a contemporary-styled sneaker, with semi-transparent eyestays, visible air cushioning on the translucent sole, and logos for Scott and Cactus Jack.
The Jordan 4 Retro Travis Scott Purple sneakers were made exclusively for Travis Scott’s friends and family, although Nike made an additional 1000 sneakers which were available via their website.
This lack of mass production makes them an exclusive Air Jordan sneaker that commands a high price, with the $24,470 tag as much as a stay in one of the most expensive hotels in the world.
The Jordan 4 Retro Travis Scott Purple sneakers have made a comeback more recently, with a reissued pair costing significantly less, and can be picked up for under $200.
7. Jordan 4 Retro Travis Scott Olive – $25,000
Michael Jordan and Nike teamed up again with Travis Scott to release the Air Jordan Retro Travis Scott Olive sneakers.
As the name suggests, these expensive Air Jordan shoes are mostly olive in color, with black laces and a silver Jumpman logo positioned in the middle of the tongue.
There are additional black details scattered throughout these sneakers, including highlights lining the edge of the sole.
The olive section itself is made from nubuck for a nice, soft feel, while additional branding details include the Cactus Jack and Air Jordan interior patches.
They also feature black netting underlays, as well as TPU lacing wings and leather lining.
They’re expensive Air Jordan sneakers, and while you won’t need to have Travis Scott’s net worth to afford a pair, at $25,000 they’re certainly beyond the budget of most sneaker collectors.
6. Air Jordan 1 (with autograph) – $25,000
The Nike Air Jordan 1 is one of the most iconic basketball shoes of all time, uniquely associated with Michael Jordan and instantly recognizable among sneaker collectors worldwide.
It comes in a gorgeous red, white, and black design, with a black Nike swoosh logo on a white backdrop, red details around the toes and heel, and is designed with plenty of ankle support.
While a standard pair of the Air Jordan 1 sneakers won’t necessarily break the bank, an autographed pair will set you back a considerable sum of money.
At $25,000 for an autographed pair, you can expect to pay the equivalent money to some of the most expensive alcoholic drinks available, at a whopping $25,000.
Michael Jordan wore the Air Jordan 1 shoes way back in 1984 at the beginning of his collaboration with Nike, kickstarting a relationship that would produce a string of iconic sneakers over the following years.
5. Air Jordan 2 OG – $31,000
Basketball legend Michael Jordan followed up the Air Jordan 1 shoes with the predictably-named Air Jordan 2, which were released on the sneaker market from 1986 to 1987.
These were the only Nike Air Jordan sneakers to be manufactured in Italy, and as such at the time they received the nickname “The Italian Stallion”, a reference to the main character from the Rocky movie series.
The Air Jordan 2 shoes are perhaps the most controversial available since these sneakers did away with the iconic swoosh logo entirely.
The “Wings” logo was moved to the tongue, and the original colorway was switched from black to white, making them brighter than the previous Air Jordan iteration.
Contrast laces were also used, with the hints of red across the sneaker complementing the 1980s Chicago Bulls colors perfectly.
Crafted by designer Bruce Kilgore, a pair of the original Air Jordan 2 basketball sneakers sold on eBay for an incredible $31,000.
The Air Jordan 2 has since made a comeback, with retro-inspired versions of the classic sneaker now available made in different colorways.
4. Air Jordan 5 Retro Transformers Sample – $52,900
While some of the most expensive Air Jordans are made in collaboration with famous hip hop stars, others were produced as tie-in products to promote Hollywood movies.
The Air Jordan 5 Retro Transformers sneakers were made in 2017 to coincide with the release of Transformers: The Last Knight, the fifth installment of the hugely popular Transformers film series.
Transformers star Mark Wahlberg, working closely with Nike, created this unique design that took its inspiration from the classic Air Jordan 5.
They feature red, blue, and gold details, as well as the number 84, as a reference to the release date of the original cartoon version of Transformers.
Their value is mostly due to the fact that Nike produced a limited run intended only for the cast and crew of the Transformers movie.
At $52,900 for a pair of Air Jordan 5 Retro Transformers, the sale certainly didn’t harm Mark Wahlberg’s net worth, making them a sound investment for those who can afford a pair.
3. Air Jordan 1 Silver Shoe (Autographed) – $60,000
The autographed Air Jordan Silver shoe is another expensive pair of Air Jordan sneakers that was associated with a hugely successful movie, Space Jam.
Michael Jordan wore a pair of the Air Jordan Silver shoes in the movie, although he never wore the highly-priced pair which bears his signature.
Made from sterling silver and limited to just ten pairs, the Air Jordan 1 Silver sneakers are considered to be the Holy Grail of rare and expensive Air Jordan shoes.
Gifted to Michael Jordan by his wife for his 32nd birthday, a pair of these iconic shoes was sold for $60,000 at auction, a small fraction of Michael Jordan’s net worth, but a high price for most collectors.
If the luxury sterling silver wasn’t enough, the Air Jordan 1 Silver shoe was presented in a custom-made box made with a combination of velvet and wood, with a Tune Squad logo from Space Jam inscribed on the box.
Michael Jordan was so committed to basketball that he insisted Warner Bros. build him a regulation-sized court on the set of Space Jam, allowing him to practice whenever he had a moment away from the film.
2. Air Jordan 10 OVO (Samples) – $100,000
Initially released in 1994, the Nike Air Jordan 10 basketball shoes hit the market around the time Michael Jordan delivered some of his most outstanding games for the Chicago Bulls.
The first run release saw the Air Jordan 10s in three colorways and featured the latest lightweight Phylon midsole technology with a denser foam for extra comfort and support.
The Air Jordan 10 OVO trainers took this basic approach to design and put them in the hands of hip hop icon Drake, who gave two pairs of his unique variation – one in black and one in white – to his fans at a Toronto Raptors game.
The white version was enhanced with hints of gold, while the black version eschewed this touch of bling for a more minimalist approach.
While one of these pairs subsequently sold for around $20,000 at auction, the black pair sold for an impressive $100,000.
This places their sale on par with some of the most expensive sneakers you can buy, and the second most expensive Air Jordan shoes.
1. Air Jordan 12 Flu Game (Autographed) – $104,000
The most expensive Air Jordan sneakers you can buy are the signed Air Jordan 12 Flu Game shoes, which sold for a staggering $104,000.
With a price only the richest athletes in the world can afford, these basketball shoes represent a significant moment in sporting history.
Michael Jordan wore these iconic sneakers during his game for the Chicago Bulls, playing against Utah Jazz in the 1997 NBA championship finals.
With Utah Jazz in the lead, Jordan was experiencing flu-like symptoms but managed to pull things back in the fourth quarter, scoring 15 points.
The Air Jordan 12s are a black and red edition of the original version, clad in premium leather with red across the bottom half of the shoes and black over the laces and around the heel.
If the $104,000 price tag of the signed editions are beyond your budget, Nike released the Jordan 12 Reverse Flu Game shoes in 2020, minus Michael Jordan’s autograph.
Summary
That wraps up this article covering the most expensive Air Jordans ever sold.
We hope this will encourage you to start your own collection or expand your current one if you’re already a sneaker enthusiast.
We’ll update this article to reflect the current status of these expensive sneakers, so be sure to check back for the latest details.
Here’s a quick recap of the 10 most expensive Air Jordans in the world:
- Air Jordan 12 Flu Game (Autographed) – $104,000
- Air Jordan 10 OVO (Samples)- $100,000
- Air Jordan 1 Silver Shoe (Autographed) – $60,000
- Air Jordan 5 Retro Transformers Sample – $52,900
- Air Jordan 2 OG – $31,000
- Air Jordan I (with autograph) – $25,000
- Jordan 4 Retro Travis Scott Olive – $25,000
- Jordan 4 Retro Travis Scott Purple (Friends and Family) – $24,470
- Air Jordan 4 Retro Eminem Encore 2017 – $24,133
- Air Jordan 11 Blackout Edition – $21,780
