Signed 1985 Chicago Air Jordan 1 up for Auction

December 5, 2022

The Holy Grail of Sneakers

Our friends over at Pristine Auction got their hands on quite possibly one of the rarest sneakers ever.

Can I interest you in a brand-new, MJ-autographed Chicago Air Jordan from 1985? Did I mention they’re Player Samples, too? Yeah, when we heard the news, we came running to check them out in person.

Luckily Vick Almighty tagged along to drop some knowledge and provide Pristine with a legit check on this rare pair.

Let’s take a closer look at this 1985 Chicago Air Jordan 1 and what makes it so darned special.

Authentic Autograph

It’s always a worry whether an autograph is real or not. Pristine brought in the big guns to ensure that this Michael Jordan autograph was properly authenticated. Both Beckett and PSA signed off on its legitness, independently of one another.

There’s no question that the autograph came from the hand of Michael Jordan, but what about the shoes themselves?

Player Sample for MJ

This particular pair has a dead giveaway as to who these shoes were made for. Check out the size stamps…one shoe is a size 13, and the other a 13.5. If you haven’t put it together, I’ll spell it out for you: MJ preferred two different sizes for his basketball shoes. This sample pair was made for MJ himself.

Crazy, right?

Pristine Condition

So why doesn’t this shoe look nearly 40 years old? Does that mean it’s a fake? This was Vick’s first thought when he opened the box, so you aren’t alone in this thinking. You hardly see OG 1985 Jordans in this condition, so it’s natural to be skeptical.

In his gut, Vick had a feeling they were real but wanted to check with some buddies. After much of deliberation, photos, and research, we’re happy to announce that they are indeed authentic.

The original owner must have done everything they could to stop these from aging — and it paid off!

OG All

We’ve talked about the autograph and the condition…but the accessories make this shoe valuable. Because this shoe comes with the OG laces, insoles that are still intact, and the OG box, this particular pair of ‘85 Chicago 1s is a rarity. And you know how collectors feel about rare items…

Are you in the market?

A signed pair of 1985 Chicago Air Jordan 1s in brand-new condition WITH all of the OG accessories doesn’t come around very often. Almost never. So, if you’re in the market for this pair, head over to Pristine Auction and place your bid on this piece of sneaker history!

As for us, we’re more than okay sticking to shoes that cost less than a house.