The Rarest Release of Every Air Jordan

These are the rarest Air Jordans to ever release.

Best Colorway Every Air Jordan
Complex Original
Best Colorway Every Air Jordan

Air Jordans exist in tiers of exclusivity: at the bottom are general releases, at the top are player exclusives and one-offs created for Jordan Brand-sponsored athletes and influencers. Somewhere toward the high end of that hierarchy are the most limited  retail pairs, ones that were available to the public but only in very small numbers. Inevitably, these fetch thousands of dollars on the resell market and became the stuff of sneaker lore.

Gathered here are the rarest colorways for each Air Jordan model that actually released. Some were made available at specific retailers, some were auctioned off for charity, and others were introduced to the public through less conventional means. But all of them did actually release at some point, even if they did so in numbers so scarce that they disappeared immediately thereafter.

Air Jordan 1 ‘WINGS for the Future'

Air Jordan 1 "Dave White"

Air Jordan 2 'Eminem'

Air Jordan 2 "Eminem"

Air Jordan 3 'Doernbecher'

Air Jordan 3 "DB"

Air Jordan 4 'Undefeated'

Air Jordan 4 "UNDFTD"

Air Jordan 5 'Quai 54'

Air Jordan 5 "Quai 54"

Air Jordan 6 'Doernbecher'

Air Jordan 6 "Doernbecher"

Air Jordan 7 'Miro'

Air Jordan 7 "Miro"

Air Jordan 8 'Ray Allen' & 'Q-Rich'

Air Jordan 8 "Ray Allen"

Air Jordan 8

Why so rare? In 2008, 24 pairs of both Ray Allen and Quentin Richardson's Air Jordan 8 PEs dropped exclusively at the House Of Hoops in Harlem.

Air Jordan 9 'Bin 23'

Air Jordan 9 "Bin 23"

Air Jordan 10 'Grimm'

Air Jordan 10 Grimm

Air Jordan 11 '25th Anniversary Jumpman'

Air Jordan 11 "25th Anniversary"

Air Jordan 12 'PSNY' Regional Pack

PSNY x Air Jordan 12 Wheat

Air Jordan 13 'Ray Allen'

Air Jordan 13 "Ray Allen"

Air Jordan 14 'UNC Mid'

Air Jordan 14 "UNC"

Air Jordan 15 'Eastbay PE Pack'

AIr Jordan 15 "Eastbay PE"

Air Jordan 16 'SoleFly'

Air Jordan 16 Retro x Solefly Sole Collector Release Date Roundup

Air Jordan 17 Low 'Lightning'

Air Jordan 17 "Lightning"

Air Jordan 18 'Black Suede'

Air Jordan 18 "Black Suede"

Air Jordan 19 'Flint'

Air Jordan 19

Air Jordan 20 'Quickstrike'

Air Jordan 20 QS

Air Jordan 21 'Suede'

Air Jordan 21

Air jordan 21

Why so rare? Jordan Brand went ahead and slapped a $5 upcharge on these two suede versions of its 21st signature sneaker. It also made them harder to get by tightening the distribution a bit, with the leather ones being made available at more accounts.

Air Jordan 22 'Basketball'

Air Jordan 22 "Basketball"

Air Jordan 23 'Trophy Room'

Air Jordan 23 Flight Club

Air Jordan 2009 'S23'

Air Jordan 2009 "s23"

Air Jordan 2010 'Silver Anniversary'

Air Jordan 2010 "Silver Anniversary"

Air Jordan 2011 'Year Of The Rabbit'

Air Jordan 2011 "YOTR"

Air Jordan 2012 'Tinker'

Air Jordan 2012 "Tinker"

Air Jordan 28 'Black and White Camo'

Air Jordan 28 "Black/White Camo"

Air Jordan 29 'Photo Reel'

Air Jordan 29 "Photo Reel"

Air Jordan 30 'Cosmos'

Air Jordan 30 "Cosmos"

Air Jordan 31 'Gold'

Air Jordan 31 Gold