More than 11 years after he passed away, Steve Jobs still has a cult of personality like few others.
A “well used” pair of Birkenstocks owned and worn by the Apple founder hit the auction block on Saturday, fetching a winning bid of $218,750.
That’s considerably more than the $60,000 auction organizers were expecting to raise.
The sandals, which are in pretty poor condition but still “intact,” per the auction description, are a pair of brown suede leather Birkenstocks, which Jobs wore in the 1970s and 1980s.
Sold for $218,750. A pair of brown suede leather Birkenstock Arizona sandals that were personally owned and worn by Steve Jobs.
— Julien's Auctions (@JuliensAuctions) November 13, 2022
"Icons and Idols: Rock 'N' Roll" auction taking place at the @HardRock in New York City and online at https://t.co/tzS6JKuf2p, Friday through Sunday. pic.twitter.com/ESXO8fJ2L7
The shoes were reportedly on Jobs’ feet in the Los Altos, Calif., garage where he and Steve Wozniak founded Apple and have been part of many museum exhibitions.
“Each sandal features its original Birkenstock adjustable buckles and Birkenstock stamping on the inner edge of the suede leather foot straps,” the description reads. “The cork and jute footbed retains the imprint of Steve Jobs’ feet, which had been shaped after years of use. The rubber soles of the sandals show heavy wear from use. Includes a hard case for protective storage and transport.”
Mark Sheff, a former house manager for Steve Jobs, got his hands on the shoes during one of Jobs’ many clearouts of his possessions. In addition to the physical shoes, the unnamed buyer also got an NFT, with a 360-degree representation of the Birkenstocks.
While $200,000-plus is a mind-boggling amount to pay for a grungy pair of sandals, it’s far from a record. Last year, a fan of Michael Jordan’s paid just under $1.5 million for a pair of Nike Air Ships worn by the Chicago Bulls legend.
