Sports jerseys from Michael Jordan, Colin Kaepernick, and even a former president all set world records this week during an online auction.
Jordan's historic rookie Chicago Bulls jersey -- the one he held up at the press conference announcing his signing in 1984 -- sold for $320,000, the most that a Jordan jersey has ever sold for, according to Julien's Auctions, an auction house. The previous record as the $288,000 someone bid in July 2020 for the jersey Jordan wore during the 1997-98 Eastern Conference finals, reported CNN.
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But Jordan's memorabilia wasn't the only rookie jersey to sell big. Colin Kaepernick's official San Francisco 49ers rookie jersey worn during his NFL debut in 2011 sold for $128,000 -- a world record for the most expensive NFL jersey sold at auction, the auction house said.
The previous world record was shared by Johnny Unitas' 1960-era Baltimore Colts jersey, which sold for $118,230 in June 2015, and Joe Namath's AFL-era New York Jets rookie jersey, which sold for that same amount on July 22, 2020.
Last but not least, none other than former President Barack Obama broke a record. His high school basketball jersey, worn during his senior year at Punahou School as part of the 1979 Hawaii State Champion boys' varsity team sold for $192,000, a new world record for a high school jersey sold at auction, Julien's Auctions said. That previous record was held by LeBron James, whose high school basketball jersey sold for $187,500 last year.
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An official Cleveland Cavaliers rookie year jersey, worn, signed, and gifted by James during his 2003-2004 rookie season, sold for $128,000 during this week's auction, too.
Sports memorabilia has continued to rake in big money at auction houses during the Covid-19 pandemic. In September, the hardwood floor from Kobe Bryant's final game was expected to fetch more than $500,000. It eventually sold for $631,000.
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