Michael Jordan continues to make game changing history as his Game 1 1998 NBA finals worn jersey has sold for $10,091,000, making it the world’s most expensive piece of game worn sports memorabilia.
The jersey was worn by Michael Jordan during the 88 -85 overtime loss to Utah Jazz in which Jordan played 45 minutes and scored 33 points.
Made famous by the Netflix documentary series 'The Last Dance' the jersey sold for double it’s $3-5m estimate at a Sotheby’s auction, with 20 bids
At $10.91m the Michael Jordan shirt is now the most expensive piece of game worn sports memorabilia ever sold at auction.
The list also includes:
2. Diego Maradona 'Hand of God Shirt $9,300,000
Maradona's infamous 'Hand of God' football shirt sold for $9,300,000 at Sotheby's in London in May 2022.
The shirt had been worn by Maradona in a 2-0 win over England during the 1986 FIFA World Cup, when, for the first goal, Maradona had used his hand to outjump England goalkeeper Peter Shilton, punching the ball into the goal for a 1-0 lead.
Collected at the end of the match by England defender Steve Hiodge, tha short had been displayed in the National Football Museum before Hodge decided to sell.
Even Maradona's daughters' insistence that it was not the shirt her father wore when scoring the goal failed to dampen the auction enthusiasm
3. Babe Ruth’s 1928-1930 Jersey – $5,640,000
In June 2019 Hunt Auctions in the USA sold a Babe Ruth jersey worn between 1928 and 1930 for a record price of $5.64m, beating his previous $4.4m jersey.
4. Babe Ruth’s 1920 jersey - $4,400,000
A road grey Babe Ruth shirt, believed to be the earliest known Babe Ruth shirt from the 1920 season was sold by SCP Auctions in May 2012.
It's believed there are apporoximately six Babe Ruth shirts known to exist.
5. Kobe Bryant signed rookie season jersey - $3,690.000
An autographed Kobe Bryant rookie season game worn jersey sold in May 2021 for $3.69m
6. Kobe Bryant rookie season jersey - $2,735,546
SCP Auctions were also responsible for the sale of Kobe Bryant's shirt worn in his rookie season for $2,735,546 in June 2022.
Image: SCP Auctions
An 18 year old Kobe had worn the jersey twice during the Los Angeles Lakers semi final series versus the Utah Jazz in 1993.
7. Wayne Gretzky 1988 Stanley Cup jersey - $1,452,000
The jersey worn by Edmonton Oilers’ Wayne Gretzky when he won his fourth ice hockey Stanley Cup was sold by Grey Flannel Auctions in June 2022.
The $1,452,000 price paid made it the most expensive piece of ice hockey memorabilia ever auctioned, beating Paul Henderson's 1972 jersey.
8. Michael Jordan North Carolina jersey - $1,380,000
Heritage Auctions sold Michael Jordan's 1982-1983 University of North Carolina Championship jersey for $1.38m in 2021, a record price until the $10.1m Last Dance jersey auction.
Prior to the North Carolina sale the most expensive Jordan worn jersey was a 1986-1987 jersey that sold for $480,000 in October 2020, itself beating the $230,000 paid for a 1998 title winning jersey in 2018.
So the value of a Michael Jordan game worn shirt has effectively risen from $230,000 to $10.1m in just 4 years,
9. Muhammad Ali 1965 Floyd Patterson Fight Gloves - $1,100,000
The boxing gloves worn by Muhammad Ali when he fought Floyd Patterson in 1965 were purchased by Lorenzo Fertitta, co-owner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, for $1,100,000 at auction in 2012.
Fertitta outbid Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys.
10. Paul Henderson 1972 Jersey - $1,275,000
The ice hockey jersey worn by Canadian Paul Henderson during the Summit Series versus the USSR in 1972 was sold for $1.275m in 2010, by Classic Auctions in Montreal, Canada.
Henderson famously scored the winning play with just 34 seconds left on the clock, becoming a National Hero. and the jersey becoming the most expensive piece of ice hockey memorabilia sold at auction, at the time.