Advertisement

Michael Jordan’s $500,000 Sneakers and More Insanely Expensive Sports Memorabilia

©Unsplash / Unsplash
©Unsplash / Unsplash

Plenty of people across America might have spotted a recent headline about how a pair of used sneakers from 1985 sold for roughly half a million dollars in mid-May and, well, blown a gasket. Who has that kind of money for shoes? In the middle of a pandemic?! However, a certain group of sports fans — and, one supposes, sneaker enthusiasts — might have seen that price and immediately thought it was a steal. Why? Because these were shoes that His Airness once wore.

See: Geeky Collectibles That Could Make You Millions

More specifically, they were game-worn Nikes from the dawn of Michael Jordan’s now legendary NBA career. The massive sale set a new record for the priciest pair of sneakers ever sold, but it’s still way short of the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia out there. In a world that combines the incredible rarity of its items with the stunning wealth of its collectors, the world of high-end sports artifacts can quickly produce stunning sale amounts. So, without further ado, here are some of the most insanely expensive pieces of sports memorabilia from over the years.

Last updated: March 5, 2021

Mandatory Credit: Photo by John Cetrino/Invision/AP/Shutterstock (9194526g)Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz sheds his playoff beard to celebrate his team's World Series victory at Gillette World Shaving HeadquartersRed Sox Shave-Down, Boston, USA - 4 Nov 2013.
Mandatory Credit: Photo by John Cetrino/Invision/AP/Shutterstock (9194526g)Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz sheds his playoff beard to celebrate his team's World Series victory at Gillette World Shaving HeadquartersRed Sox Shave-Down, Boston, USA - 4 Nov 2013.

David Ortiz’s Beard Clippings

  • Last sale: $10,877.77

While just over $10,000 might not seem “insanely expensive” when compared to the other items on this list, it’s important to keep in mind they are beard clippings.

Related: The Highest-Selling Football Memorabilia of All Time

BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 8: Former Baltimore Colt and football great Johnny Unitas presents one of his #19 jerseys to Cal Ripken Jr #8 of the Baltimore Orioles during an Major League baseball game September 8, 1995 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards Baltimore, Maryland.
BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 8: Former Baltimore Colt and football great Johnny Unitas presents one of his #19 jerseys to Cal Ripken Jr #8 of the Baltimore Orioles during an Major League baseball game September 8, 1995 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards Baltimore, Maryland.

Johnny Unitas' 1967 Game-Worn Jersey

  • Last sale: $103,500

Unitas was one of the earliest entries into the myth of the quarterback as the square-jawed field general who carried his team to victory. Game-worn jerseys of his are very rare, and this one’s value was boosted by having been repaired by the team.

See: The Most Valuable Sports Empires — and the Teams That Make Them Rich

Pictured: Former Baltimore Colt and football great Johnny Unitas presents one of his No. 19 jerseys to Cal Ripken Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles.

American hockey player Jim Craig, goalkeeper for Team USA, stick out his glove to make a save in an exhibition game against the Soviet team at Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, February 1980.
American hockey player Jim Craig, goalkeeper for Team USA, stick out his glove to make a save in an exhibition game against the Soviet team at Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, February 1980.

Jim Craig's Mask From 1980 'Miracle on Ice'

  • Last sale: $137,849.16

The United States’ victory over the Soviet Union in 1980 remains among the biggest upsets in sports history. Jim Craig tended the net for the Americans, a group of college players who somehow managed to outplay a vastly superior Russian squad for 60 minutes. His iconic mask sold for six figures.

Don’t Miss: How Esports Is Primed To Take Over Traditional Sports

Michael Jordan of the USA competes in the men's basketball tournament of the 1984 Summer Olympics.
Michael Jordan of the USA competes in the men's basketball tournament of the 1984 Summer Olympics.

Michael Jordan’s Shoes From the 1984 Olympics

  • Last sale: $190,373

There is a precedent for His Airness’ shoes selling for a mint — and no, that’s not referring to the cost of a new pair of Nikes. The shoes he wore during his first, non-Dream Team appearance in the Summer Olympics drew nearly $200,000 at auction in 2017.

Read: Best (and Worst) Deals in Sports History

William 'The Fridge' Perry's Super Bowl Ring

  • Last sale: $203,150

“Fridge” Perry’s star turn as a fullback in Super Bowl XX helped cement this hefty defensive tackle’s fame and made him one of the most recognizable members of the historic 1985 Chicago Bears team.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by RENE MACURA/AP/REX/Shutterstock (6500353a)The O.
Mandatory Credit: Photo by RENE MACURA/AP/REX/Shutterstock (6500353a)The O.

OJ Simpson's 1968 Heisman Trophy

  • Last sale: $230,000

Clearly, the story of O.J. Simpson has taken myriad twists and turns since this moment, but his 1968 Heisman win came during a time when he was on the rise and destined for gridiron greatness (among other things).

Daniel 'Rudy' Ruettiger's Gear

  • Last sale: $241,500

Whether you feel that “Rudy” is a heartwarming story of chasing a dream and overcoming steep odds or a nauseating piece of transparent Notre Dame propaganda, the historical significance of this football uniform meant it last sold for almost a quarter-million dollars.

LONDON - MAY 19:  The Gold medal handed to Alan James Ball, a member of the winning English World Cup 1966 team, sits on display on May 19, in London.
LONDON - MAY 19: The Gold medal handed to Alan James Ball, a member of the winning English World Cup 1966 team, sits on display on May 19, in London.

Alan Ball's World Cup Medal

  • Last sale: $296,640

England considers itself the originator of soccer (more on this later), but its lone victory in the World Cup came over half a century ago. As such, the medal of Alan Ball — the team’s youngest player who helped set up a decisive goal — is a crucial piece of English sports memorabilia.

1935 National Chicle Bronko Nagurski Football Card
1935 National Chicle Bronko Nagurski Football Card

1935 National Chicle Bronko Nagurski Football Card

  • Last sale: $350,000

Coming from an era when the NFL was just beginning to take hold of the national consciousness, this extremely rare card has no mint condition copies left in the world. This one — graded one step below mint — was clearly a must-have for one wealthy collector.

See: From Pitchers to Point Guards: The 41 Highest-Paying Positions in Sports

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Seth Wenig/AP/Shutterstock (10077221f)A glove used by Brooklyn Dodgers baseball player Jackie Robinson is displayed at the exhibit "In the Dugout with Jackie Robinson: An Intimate Portrait of a Baseball Legend" at the Museum of City of New York in New York.
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Seth Wenig/AP/Shutterstock (10077221f)A glove used by Brooklyn Dodgers baseball player Jackie Robinson is displayed at the exhibit "In the Dugout with Jackie Robinson: An Intimate Portrait of a Baseball Legend" at the Museum of City of New York in New York.

Jackie Robinson's Glove

  • Last sale: $373,002

Sports teams like to honor their greats by retiring their number. But only one number has been retired by every team in the MLB: 42. Jackie Robinson’s contribution to the sport — not to mention American society — was so profound it required the entire game to tip its cap. In that context, it isn’t so shocking that one collector was willing to pay so much for Robinson’s leather.

Pictured: A glove used by Brooklyn Dodgers baseball player Jackie Robinson is displayed at the exhibit “In the Dugout with Jackie Robinson: An Intimate Portrait of a Baseball Legend” at the Museum of City of New York in New York.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Uncredited/AP/REX/Shutterstock (6657815b)Bruce Smith Captain of the University of Minnesota Bruce Smith, left, receives the Heisman trophy in New YorkBruce Smith with Heisman Trophy, New York, USA.
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Uncredited/AP/REX/Shutterstock (6657815b)Bruce Smith Captain of the University of Minnesota Bruce Smith, left, receives the Heisman trophy in New YorkBruce Smith with Heisman Trophy, New York, USA.

Bruce Smith’s 1941 Heisman Trophy

  • Last sale: $395,000

Bruce Smith is a football legend. No, not Buffalo Bills defensive end Bruce Smith (though he is, in his own right, a legend of the game). This Bruce Smith won the 1941 award and gave an inspirational speech in which he used football as a metaphor for American resolve soon after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, making this a prized trophy by collectors for entirely different reasons.

Tom Brady rookie cards
Tom Brady rookie cards

Tom Brady Rookie Card

  • Last sale: $400,100

It’s the rarity of this card that makes it so pricey. Brady entered the NFL coming off a middling career at the University of Michigan where he wound up getting benched for Drew Henson — remember him? — at one point during his senior season. As such, he was eventually taken in the seventh round of the 2000 NFL draft with little fanfare, making his rookie card a unique time capsule.

Related: The Highest-Paid Athlete of Every Year From 1990 to 2020

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock (10345605ac)The Nike 'Moon Shoe' is one of the most significant artifacts in the history of the multi-billion dollar athletic brand.
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock (10345605ac)The Nike 'Moon Shoe' is one of the most significant artifacts in the history of the multi-billion dollar athletic brand.

Nike "Moon" Shoe

  • Last sale: $437,500

These are the original Nikes. Legendary Oregon track coach Bill Bowerman used a waffle iron to make the soles, trying to build a better shoe for his athletes. He eventually co-founded Nike, making these sneakers the genesis of a footwear revolution that continues to influence sports today.

Julius Erving’s ABA Championship Ring

  • Last sale: $460,471

No, this wasn’t a case where the collector got home only to notice in a panic that it was an “A” and not an “N.” The ABA was short-lived, but its fame has lived on well after the famous merger with the NBA. Dr. J’s 1974 ABA championship ring sold for nearly half a million dollars in an auction of Erving memorabilia that reached a total haul of $3.6 million.

Pictured: Julius Erving, No. 32, of the New York Nets, shoots over George Carter, right, of the Virginia Squires, during an ABA playoff game.

WASHINGTON - 1985:  Detail of the
WASHINGTON - 1985: Detail of the

Michael Jordan's Nike Air Jordan 1s From 1985

  • Last sale: $560,000

Michael Jordan is known for his incredibly expensive sneakers. Of course, when people say that, they’re usually just griping about shelling out a couple hundred bucks for a pair of Air Jordans. But these shoes were the ones he was wearing while he created the legend that would ultimately produce his namesake brand and everything else, so some collectors might think half a million or so is actually a steal.

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 15: Kirk Gibson #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers bats in the bottom of the ninth inning of game one against the Oakland Athletics during the 1988 World Series, October 15, 1988 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California.
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 15: Kirk Gibson #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers bats in the bottom of the ninth inning of game one against the Oakland Athletics during the 1988 World Series, October 15, 1988 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California.

Kirk Gibson's Bat From the 1988 World Series Home Run

  • Last sale: $575,912

Gibson had already won a ring with Detroit in 1984 — and also hit a memorable home run in that series — but baseball’s clearest memory of Gibby is him taking the field at Dodger Stadium in spite of a badly injured knee, anticipating a back-door slider from the legendary closer Dennis Eckersley and whacking it over the outfield fence for a walk-off win in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. The Dodgers would end up winning the series, and Gibson’s late-inning heroics have become the stuff of legend.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Nils Jorgensen/Shutterstock (5609258l)Muhammad Ali's gloves used to fight Joe Frazier at Madison Square Garden 1971'I Am The Greatest: Muhammad Ali' exhibition at the O2, London, Britain - 03 Mar 2016Press view of exhibition featuring more than 100 artefacts from the boxer's career, put together with the help of the Ali family, showcased to celebrate the life of the former heavyweight champion giving an insight into one of the sport's most famous personalities.

Muhammad Ali's 1971 "Fight of the Century" Gloves

  • Last sale: $606,375

The 1971 fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier is among the most significant fights in boxing history for a number of reasons. It was the first of an epic trilogy between the two incredible fighters, it was Ali’s first fight after getting suspended for his refusal to be drafted and it’s the only of Ali’s many legendary bouts that he lost.

Read: Sports Stars Spending Big and Speaking Out on Black Lives Matter

Hank Aaron's 755th Home Run Ball

  • Last sale: $650,000

Hank Aaron is most famous for passing the Babe on the all-time home run list, setting the new mark at 755 that would stand until Barry Bonds’ chemically enhanced run eclipsed it. Still, Hammerin’ Hank is one of the all-time greats — he still holds the all-time marks for total bases and extra-base hits — and his final home run ball fetched a whopping $650,000. Know who isn’t at all happy about this? The fan with Hank Aaron’s 754th home run ball.

Babe Ruth's Jersey From the 1933 All-Star Game

  • Last sale: $657,250

An aging Ruth was entering his 20th season in baseball in 1933, making his dramatic home run in that season’s All-Star Game one of the final major entries in his legendary baseball career. While it didn’t quite fetch as much as the ball Ruth clubbed over the fence, the jersey he wore during the same game also cleared a half-million dollars when it sold at auction.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Bebeto Matthews/AP/Shutterstock (6238800a)New York Yankees great Don Larsen reacts during a news conference announcing the auction of his 1956 perfect game uniform.
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Bebeto Matthews/AP/Shutterstock (6238800a)New York Yankees great Don Larsen reacts during a news conference announcing the auction of his 1956 perfect game uniform.

Don Larsen’s Jersey From His Perfect Game

  • Last sale: $756,000

Don Larsen was a relatively mediocre pitcher who spent his 14-year career bouncing between nine different teams. However, his reputation among baseball fans is bolstered by two things: a career-defining performance in the 1956 World Series — where he produced the only perfect game in the history of the Fall Classic — and the fact that he was in a New York Yankees uniform when he did it.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Everett/Shutterstock (10283543a)New York Yankees.
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Everett/Shutterstock (10283543a)New York Yankees.

Babe Ruth’s 1934 Full Uniform

  • Last sale: $771,000

Babe Ruth’s legendary 1934 tour of Japan might not immediately sound familiar to you, but its legacy is still clearly on display today. The famous visit is often cited as being the genesis of the popularity of baseball in Japan, where it has spent the last century thriving as one of the most popular national sports.

Check Out: 13 Ways To Support Sports Teams Without Attending a Game

Pictured: Babe Ruth holds an umbrella during a 1934 Japanese-American baseball match in Japan.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by AP/Shutterstock (6655972a)Babe Ruth crosses home plate following a two run home run off National League starting pitcher Bill Hallahan in the third inning of the first All-Star Game ever played, .
Mandatory Credit: Photo by AP/Shutterstock (6655972a)Babe Ruth crosses home plate following a two run home run off National League starting pitcher Bill Hallahan in the third inning of the first All-Star Game ever played, .

Babe Ruth’s 1933 All-Star Game Home Run Ball

  • Last sale: $805,000

Ruth’s famous home run during the first-ever All-Star Game proved an iconic moment for a country grappling with the Great Depression. The combined value of the ball he hit and the uniform he was wearing when he hit it would be roughly $1.5 million based on their most recent auction prices.

Pictured: Babe Ruth crosses home plate following a two-run home run off National League starting pitcher Bill Hallahan in the third inning of the first All-Star Game ever played.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by AP/Shutterstock (6656616a)Babe Ruth crosses the plate in Game 3 of the World Series, 1932ASAP SPORTS RETRO RUTH, CHICAGO, USA.
Mandatory Credit: Photo by AP/Shutterstock (6656616a)Babe Ruth crosses the plate in Game 3 of the World Series, 1932ASAP SPORTS RETRO RUTH, CHICAGO, USA.

Babe Ruth’s 1932 “Called Shot” Jersey

  • Last sale: $940,000

In all likelihood, the Babe did not, in fact, “call his shot” during the 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs. However, the Sultan of Swat’s larger-than-life reputation helped seal this particular myth in baseball history and push the value of his jersey from that day to nearly $1 million.

Pictured: Babe Ruth crosses the plate in Game 3 of the World Series in 1932.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Colorsport/Shutterstock (3052952a)The Original FA Cup stolen and never found 1897 Great BritainSport.
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Colorsport/Shutterstock (3052952a)The Original FA Cup stolen and never found 1897 Great BritainSport.

FA Cup

  • Last sale: $956,000

The English Football Association Cup is an annual award that was first handed out in 1872. Only five FA Cups have been made with just one ever being sold to a private collector, a rarity that pushed its price up to nearly $1 million.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Tony Gutierrez/AP/Shutterstock (6103227e)Sonny Liston, Muhammad Ali Heritage Auctions Director of Sports Auctions, Chris Ivy, holds the autographed glove of Muhammad Ali with the gloves of Sonny Liston sitting on the table below at the auction house, in Dallas.
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Tony Gutierrez/AP/Shutterstock (6103227e)Sonny Liston, Muhammad Ali Heritage Auctions Director of Sports Auctions, Chris Ivy, holds the autographed glove of Muhammad Ali with the gloves of Sonny Liston sitting on the table below at the auction house, in Dallas.

Muhammad Ali's 1965 Floyd Patterson Fight Gloves

  • Last sale: $1,100,000

While clearly not among Ali’s greatest fights, his 1965 bout with former champ Floyd Patterson only gets edged out because of the fighter having so many legendary tilts. The gloves donned by this cultural icon during this fight sold for $1.1 million.

FRANKFURT AM MAIN, GERMANY - JULY 20: A copy of 'Rules, Regulations and Law' from the English football team Sheffield F.
FRANKFURT AM MAIN, GERMANY - JULY 20: A copy of 'Rules, Regulations and Law' from the English football team Sheffield F.

Sheffield Football Club Rules, Regulations & Laws

  • Last sale: $1,240,000

The Sheffield Football Club is the world’s oldest. Its first set of rules — hand-written in 1858 — weren’t the first example of the rules of soccer, but they would become among the most influential in the evolution of the sport.

Also See: Overwatch, Fortnite and 22 of the Most Lucrative Esports Games in the World

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Julie Jacobson/AP/Shutterstock (6393736a)The bat used by Babe Ruth to hit his first home run in Yankee Stadium in 1923, is held for a photograph at Sotheby's in New York.
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Julie Jacobson/AP/Shutterstock (6393736a)The bat used by Babe Ruth to hit his first home run in Yankee Stadium in 1923, is held for a photograph at Sotheby's in New York.

Babe Ruth's Bat From His First Home Run at Yankee Stadium in 1923

  • Last sale: $1,265,000

Old Yankee Stadium is known as “the house that Ruth built” because the Great Bambino’s arrival to the Big Apple not only launched the Babe into orbit as a sports star, but also increased the profile of the Yankees and the sport in general. Following Ruth’s arrival in 1919, baseball soared to new heights — fueling the ticket sales that paid for the original Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

The bat Ruth used to hit his first home run in Yankee Stadium during the first game in Yankee Stadium, therefore, holds a lot of significance — particularly for the collector who shelled out well over $1 million for it.

Canadian professional hockey player Paul Henderson (right), left wing for Team Canada, skates by two players from the Soviet team during a game from the Summit Series, 1972.
Canadian professional hockey player Paul Henderson (right), left wing for Team Canada, skates by two players from the Soviet team during a game from the Summit Series, 1972.

Paul Henderson's 1972 Summit Series Jersey

  • Last sale: $1,275,000

It is hard to describe the sort of existential threat that the rise of Russian hockey posed to Canadian culture. As such, the 1972 series between the cream of the NHL’s crop and the USSR’s national team was an emotional one for both sides.

Canada would win. Russians might often posit that the Canadians won largely because they played a brand of brutal and violent hockey that elevated physical toughness over skill. To which many Canadians would respond, “Yeah, and?”

The jersey worn by Henderson — who scored the series-deciding goal — sold for well over $1 million.

NEW YORK - OCTOBER 5, 1927.
NEW YORK - OCTOBER 5, 1927.

Babe Ruth's 1927 World Series Ring

  • Last sale: $2,093,927

The lineup for the 1927 Yankees was so good it was known as “Murderer’s Row.” The team has since become shorthand for any incredible group of talent, explaining why one collector was willing to dig so deep into their pockets for this piece of baseball history.

Pictured: Babe Ruth takes batting practice before the start of the 1927 World Series in Yankee Stadium.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Justin Lane/EPA/Shutterstock (7832497a)The Hands of a Sotheby's Employee Hold Up the Original 1919 Contract (r) That Traded Baseball Player Babe Ruth From the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees Next to Ruth's 1938 Brooklyn Dodgers Uniform (l) During a Preview of a Sports Memorabilia Auction to Take Place 10 June 2005 at Sotheby's Friday 3 June 2005 in New York the Contract Seen Here is Expected to Sell For Over $500 000 (usd) the Uniform For Over $150 000 (usd) and the Money Will Go to a Hunger Relief CharityUsa New York Sports Memorabilia Auction - Jun 2005.

Babe Ruth’s 1919 New York Yankees Contract

  • Last sale: $2,303,320

Babe Ruth’s sale to the Yankees in 1919 is easily the most infamous transaction in the history of baseball, supposedly launching the Curse of the Bambino that kept the Red Sox from winning the World Series from 1918 to 2004.

N 338731 007 27 SEPTEMBER 1998 ST.
N 338731 007 27 SEPTEMBER 1998 ST.

Mark McGwire's 1998 70th Home Run Ball

  • Last sale: $3,005,000

The home run race of 1998 has been deeply tarnished by revelations about the role steroids played in it, but when this ball sold in 1999 the memory of that summer was still fresh. The $3 million one fan paid for it is likely a lot more than it would fetch today.

Pictured: Philip Ozersky of St. Louis looks at St. Louis Cardinals’ Mark McGwire’s historic 70th home run ball that he caught in left field, during the last game of the season with the Montreal Expos on Sept. 27, 1998.

Photo by Paul Buck/EPA/REX/Shutterstock The T206 Honus Wagner Baseball Card is Displayed by Auction Company Officials at a Dodger Stadium Press Conference Announcing the Sale of the Card in Los Angeles California
Photo by Paul Buck/EPA/REX/Shutterstock The T206 Honus Wagner Baseball Card is Displayed by Auction Company Officials at a Dodger Stadium Press Conference Announcing the Sale of the Card in Los Angeles California

T206 Honus Wagner

  • Last sale: $3,120,000

This isn’t a baseball card, it’s THE baseball card. Essentially, every time one of these comes up for auction it sets a new record for the most expensive baseball card, breaking the old record from the last time one was up for sale. So while Honus Wagner might have been eclipsed by contemporary Ty Cobb on the baseball field, he’s the undisputed titleholder in the collectors’ world.

Free Baseball: 30 Classic MLB Games You Can Stream for Free

1856 Knickerbocker Rules of Baseball

  • Last sale: $3,260,000

Precisely when the national pastime ceased to be the English game of rounders and became the American sport of baseball isn’t 100% clear, but one of the most relevant steps came in the form of the set of rules drafted by the Knickerbocker Club in the mid-19th century.

James Naismith's 1891 Rules of Basketball

  • Last sale: $4,300,000

James Naismith was the Canadian-American who invented basketball. Not a typo. While baseball and football both evolved more gradually from popular English games, basketball was invented from whole cloth right here in America — making Naismith’s original copy of his 13 rules a genuinely unique artifact in American sport.

1920 Babe Ruth Jersey
1920 Babe Ruth Jersey

Babe Ruth's 1920 Jersey

  • Last sale: $4,415,658

This 1920 jersey sold for $4,415,658 in 2012. The 1928-30 jersey that you’ll spot on the next slide is thought to have sold for more due, at least in part, to it being in better condition than this older one.

Babe Ruth's jersey from 1928-1930
Babe Ruth's jersey from 1928-1930

Babe Ruth's 1928-1930 Road Jersey

  • Last sale: $5,640,000

The all-time record price for a piece of sports memorabilia was set in 2019 when this jersey — which Ruth would have played in over the course of three seasons — sold for $5.64 million. That broke the previous record of $4.4 million for a different game-worn Ruth jersey.

Months later, however, the record was broken again by the last item on this list.

Modern Olympics Manifesto

  • Last sale: $8,800,000

The modern Olympics resurrected the idea of an international athletic competition every four years in 1896 and was the brainchild of Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin. While the idea took some time to really get off the ground, today the Olympics have become central to the sports calendar in almost every corner of the planet.

The original documents that gave birth to the movement shattered the record for sports memorabilia when it sold late last year for nearly $9 million.

More From GOBankingRates

Pictured: 1896 Olympic opening ceremony.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Michael Jordan’s $500,000 Sneakers and More Insanely Expensive Sports Memorabilia