Michael Jordan's First Bulls Jersey Sells for $4.2 Million, That Was Once Sold for $800

Today's news is live from the sale of Michael Jordan's First Bulls Jersey. Michael Jordan has had a successful NBA career. The Jersey, which was once sold for $800, is now auctioned for $4.2 million. Undoubtedly, Michael Jordan's Jersey has become one of the significant sports memorabilia in history. 

Michael Jordan's Jersey is A Piece of Sports History

Michael Jordan wore his jersey in the NBA preseason debut in Peoria, Ill., against the Indiana Pacers on 5 October 1984. After 40 years, the jersey was sold for $4.2 million, against a $10 million estimate, on Wednesday afternoon at Sotheby's. 

The Jersey's History

Jordan wore the jersey for the first time in his NBA preseason debut in 1984. He also wore the jersey in his second and third preseason games. In 1984, the jersey could have sold for &1000, but responded with "it was a piece of laundry" from Brahm Wachter, SVP and head of modern collectables at Sotheby's. 

In the meantime, the jersey was discarded, showing teams and players little regard for memorabilia. The Bulls sent it to a Washington Bullets charity auction. In the charity auction, the jersey was bid for $800. The bidder didn't pay. An underbidder paid $1000 and got Jordan’s professional debut jersey. In 2009, the jersey was resurfaced again. 

It sold for $66,000 at Grey Flannel. That was the last time it sold publicly until Wednesday afternoon. The jersey's history tells us it is authenticated with forensic analysis and video footage. 

A Record-Breaking Sale

• The price fell short of the record for any Jordan jersey, set at $10.1 million in 2022.
• Michael Jordan jersey ranks among the top three Jordan jerseys ever to sell publicly
• At public auction, Jordan game-used memorabilia has seen more than $50 million in photo-matched sales, the quantity nearly double the second athlete, Kobe Bryant.

Michael Jordan's Jersey Significance

According to authentic reports, the Michael Jordan Bulls Jersey is the only photo-matched jersey from Jordan's rookie season. Jordan won the jerseys during his first three preseasons. The jersey’s significance that skyrocketed his sales lies in the fact that he held up his jersey for cameras during his introductory press conference in September 1984.

• The Jersey sold for $81,180 in 2019. 
• 17 months later, the jersey sold for $320,000
• Four years later, it sold for $500,000

Most Expensive Game-Worn Jersey Sale

From 2019, the surge has come for the most expensive sales for game-worn jerseys. In 2024, Babe Ruth's "Called Shot" jersey was sold for $24.12 million, making it the most expensive sports memorabilia ever sold. Please note that this jersey was sold for less than $1 million in 2005.