Michael Jordan’s unique ‘Last Dance’ jersey tipped to sell for staggering amount at two-week auction
Michael Jordan's 'Last Dance' jersey has been tipped to sell for $100million at auction by its current owner - though the expected sale amount is more likely to be considerably less.
Jordan wore the white Chicago Bulls jersey during Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz in June 1998. It is the only known white jersey during that NBA series.
It went under the hammer through digital auction platform JOOPITER on Tuesday, with the auction set to last for two weeks.
Michael Jordan's jersey tipped for $100m sale
Perhaps unsurprisingly, its current owner Rob Gough believes the jersey will fetch a staggering amount at auction.
When he decided to pursue the shirt, Gough didn't know where it was or who owned it - and says that, once he completed the purchase, it turned up in none other than an armoured truck.
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"It wasn't available. Once someone holds these items, it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own it, so they don't get rid of it. I had to hunt it out," Gough told The Sporting News in August. "It was not a quick or easy process. It was a long road to find it.
"I never got to the actual owner. I got to this person, which led to this person, which led to this person. It was a whole treasure hunt. Finally, a broker found it and never let me even talk to or know who the seller was, or what they sold it for.
"For me, to be able to own it, it was worth the fee."
Gough revealed that he has never worn the jersey, and has not yet spoken to Jordan himself about it.
It is now up for auction on JOOPITER, with an initial pre-sale estimate price of between $10million and $15million. The $10million reserve price has been met, with a $10million opening bid already in. The auction closes on September 30 at 1:02am UK time.
"If someone buys this for that estimate, they are the best investor in the world. They are getting a steal. I think this blows that estimate out of the water," Gough said.
Why Michael Jordan's jersey is so historic - and valuable
There are several reasons behind why Jordan's jersey is expected to fetch such an eye-watering sum.
As mentioned above, it is the only known white Jordan jersey - he otherwise wore red - from the 1998 NBA Finals, part of the final season of his Chicago Bulls career before his first retirement.
In Game 3, the Bulls beat the Jazz by 96-54, with Jordan scoring 24 points. They moved 2-1 ahead in the six-game series, which they ultimately won 4-2.
The Bulls went on to win their sixth NBA Championship in the space of eight years during a dramatic Game 6, which saw them defeat the Jazz by 87-86. It is comfortably the most-watched NBA game in television history, with 35.89 million viewers tuning in on June 14, 1998.
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Topics: NBA, Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls
Ryan Smart