Michael Jordan Road Jersey Sells for $14 Million in Private Sale
A game-worn, autographed Michael Jordan road jersey from the 1998 NBA Finals has sold privately for $14 million, according to an announcement by Hunt Auctions on Monday. Pennsylvania-based Hunt Auctions identified the buyer as Miami real estate investor Ron Firman, marking what the auction house describes as the highest price ever paid for a piece of basketball memorabilia.
The red jersey was worn by Jordan during Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals on June 5, 1998. That night, Jordan and the Chicago Bulls defeated the Utah Jazz to even the series at one game apiece. The Bulls ultimately captured the championship in six games, securing the sixth and final title of Jordan’s Hall of Fame career and serving as the backdrop for the 2020 documentary series “The Last Dance,” as reported by the Associated Press.
The Evolution of Sports Memorabilia as an Elite Asset Class
“While Michael Jordan’s importance within the sports memorabilia marketplace has long been established it has now escalated to an elite asset class more typically reserved for iconic works of art,” David Hunt, president of Hunt Auctions, said in a news release.
The $14 million price tag makes this the second-biggest known cost for a game-worn jersey in sports history. The top spot remains held by Babe Ruth’s jersey from the 1932 World Series, which sold for $24.12 million in 2024, according to historical auction tracking cited by the Associated Press.
Collector demand for artifacts from Jordan’s final championship season with the Chicago Bulls remains exceptionally high. This transaction marks at least the third time a jersey worn by Jordan during the 1998 finals has surpassed the $10 million threshold at auction or through private sale:
- Game 1 Jersey: Sold at auction for approximately $10.1 million in September 2022 by Sotheby’s.
- Game 3 Jersey: Sold through the auction house JOOPITER for $12,260,000 in September 2026.
Chain of Custody and Prior Sales History
According to Hunt Auctions, the jersey purchased by Firman was originally acquired directly from the Chicago Bulls by a private collector in 2003. David Hunt noted that the garment has remained within a succinct chain of custody, having changed hands only once from the original purchaser prior to this private treaty sale.
“Michael Jordan was an incredibly talented player who is admired around the world,” Firman said in a statement distributed by the auction house. “I’m very excited about the purchase.”
Other items from that specific 1998 matchup have also commanded millions. In 2023, a pair of Air Jordan sneakers worn by Jordan during Game 2 against the Jazz sold at Sotheby’s for $2.2 million, setting a valuation record for game-worn sneakers at the time.
Worth a look