These days, everyone wears Nikes. The brand began as Blue Ribbon Sports in 1964, but by the early 1970s, it had renamed and launched its first Nike shoes. Currently, Nike is the most well-known shoe brand in the world.
Nike has been a part of numerous key cultural events throughout its dominance over the sports shoe business. These shoes have played an important role in pop culture and sports backstory, from Michael Jordan’s “flu game” to the Back to the Future series.
Nike shoes may be costly, but they are typically inexpensive compared to higher-end brands such as Gucci or Balenciaga. Yet certain Nike shoes may fetch hundreds of dollars. These high-end shoes are either uncommon or have a fascinating history. With this top ten list, you may learn more about the world of pricey Nike shoes!
Why Are These Shoes So Expensive?
Given that the average price of Nike shoes in 2021 was $110, However, similarly to LEGO sets, the uniqueness and rarity of particular shoes make them significantly more valuable than the typical pair.
A little study into the shoes on this list will reveal names like Kanye West, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Drake, the Chicago Bulls, and the Olympics. These are the most costly Nike sneakers available because of the notable names associated with them – whether as the designer, signer, or user.
10 Most Expensive Nike Shoes
Drake OVO x Nike Air Jordan 12 — $2 million
At the very top, we have something made of real gold. Rapper Drake teamed with Nike’s sub-brand Jordan in 2016 to create a pair of Air Jordan 10s with a twist. These were crafted from genuine 24-karat gold.
Drake said that they weighed around 100 pounds and were custom-made for him. These one-of-a-kind shoes cost roughly $2 million and feature every detail of the original AJ 10. The bottom of the sneakers has “OVO” (Drake’s record label October’s Very Own) and the renowned Jumpman symbol.
The Solid Gold OVO x Nike Air Jordan is a tribute to the sneaker industry’s strength of cooperation, exclusivity, and luxury.
Kanye West x Nike Air Yeezy 1 — $1.8 Million
Kanye West donned a pair of Nike shoes to the 50th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony in 2008, marking the first association between Nike and Ye’s soon-to-be Yeezy empire.
The top of the shoe was constructed of soft black leather with perforated motifs, and the heel had a tonal swoosh. For depth, a strap was attached to the front of the shoe, and the lace locks had a bright pink “Y” sign for Yeezy.
The Air Yeezy 1 was highly sought after by sneakerheads and rapidly sold out. Some pairs sell for hundreds of dollars on the secondary market, making it a popular collector’s item. The Grammy-worn pairs, which initiated it all, sold for $1.8 million to help Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.
Nike Waffle Racing Flat “Moon Shoe” – $475,500
While putting rubber into his wife’s waffle iron one morning in 1972, Oregon Track Coach Bill Bowerman unintentionally invented the first invention in Nike’s history.
This finding would lead to the creation of the Nike Waffle Racing Flat, altering the course of both running shoes and the Nike brand. Sotheby’s auctioned off one of the initial 12 Waffle Racing Flats in 2019 for a record-breaking $475,500. With this transaction, the Nike Waffle Racing Flat “Moon Shoe” became history’s most expensive Nike sneaker.
Air Jordan Retro “Kobe Pack” — $800,000
This stunning shoe has a traditional design with a white base color and just enough purple and yellow to please any Lakers fan. The 3/4 Jordans were created to commemorate Mamba’s 20-year career in the game.
At the time, these Jordan 3 reproductions were exclusively available to Jordan’s friends, family, and Kobe. A few pairs have appeared at auctions throughout the years, with the top buyer spending a mind-boggling $800,000.
Michael Jordan’s Space Jam Nikes- $176,400
Following that is a pair of sneakers worn by Michael Jordan. The signed shoes were manufactured especially for the athlete to wear while performing in the 1996 film Space Jam. Jordan wore a different pair of shoes during shooting. However, these sneakers are still rather valuable – particularly because the basketball legend signed one of them.
Like previous shoes, Jordan’s popularity helped these shoes fetch a high price. The 2021 sale price of almost $176,000 placed the pair as the seventh most expensive pair of Nikes ever.
Nike Dunk SB Low Paris ($130,000)
The Nike SD Dunk Low “Paris” is a classic in the sneaker community. Its high price is due to its restricted production of 150-200 pairs. This Nike SB was part of the “White Dunk” traveling display 2002. Bernard Buffet, a late French expressionist artist, embellished each pair with a separate piece of art. This implies that no two pairings are alike.
Proxyseed, a London-based resale shop, has verified the sale of a pair for around $130,000. Proxyseed CEO Ryan Thomas claims this would set a record for the most expensive private sale of sneakers anywhere in the world.
Nike MAG Back to the Future (2016)— $200,000
The most expensive pair of Nike Mags was auctioned off for $200,000 in 2016. Nike Mag is a limited-edition sneaker that debuted in 2011. The shoe was created to duplicate Michael J. Fox’s character Marty McFly’s “Mag” shoes from the 1989 film Back to the Future Part II.
Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Because of its scarcity and affiliation with the legendary film, this pair of Nike Mags is considered an extremely expensive collector’s item.
1997 Air Jordan 12 Flu Game — $105,000
The Air Jordan 12 “Flu Game” from 1997 is one of the most famous and sought-after Air Jordan shoes. Despite feeling sick, Jordan scored 38 points that night to lead the Bulls to their needed win.
In 2013, Truman made a record profit on the sale of the sneakers. Since then, Jordan’s game-worn red and black sneakers with his signature have become highly sought-after collector’s items.
If you can’t buy the 1997 model, the Jordan Air 12 Retro is a considerably more inexpensive.
2009 Nike Dunk SB Low Yellow Lobster – $42,624
These low-top sneakers, which come in red, yellow, and black, were limited to only 34 pieces. Because of their rarity, they are quite costly. 
In addition, Nike created an advertising campaign that piqued people’s interest in the sneaker. Collectors began scouring when they failed to arrive.
Nike Mag Back To The Future (2011) – $9,120
The Nike Mag, one of the most costly Nikes never officially issued, has been a mythological design since its introduction in Back to the Future II, with many fans fantasizing about the day they could walk in Marty McFly’s shoes.
Decades later, Nike made fiction a reality by auctioning off a limited quantity of Nike Mag Back To The Future (2011) sneakers, with all revenues benefiting The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
The Nike Mag (2011) became one of the most expensive Nikes in StockX history thanks to its auction-style release, averaging a resale price of $9,120 in little over 60 transactions.
Conclusion
We hope you liked our list of the world’s 10 most expensive Nike sneakers. If we could afford it, we would definitely purchase every pair on the list.
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