The Air Jordan 1 is one of the most important sneakers to ever release. Not only did it kick off the most successful signature line of all time, it's maintained its relevance and popularity to this day. Now, one of the very first Air Jordan 1 prototype samples from 1984 is up for auction via Ebay.
Believed to be from this first batch of Air Jordan 1s ever produced, this shoe belongs to Kris Arnold, who has had it in storage for three decades. This particular shoe up for auction is an early sample of the "Black Toe" colorway that sports some noticeable distinctions from the final product like a sleeker profile, bigger Swooshes, and a black tongue as opposed to white. It also features a factory sticker from the Tong Yang factory in Korea on the insole that displays information like the date of production, model name, and size.
Arnold obtained the shoe during his time working for a sports marketing firm named ProServ back in the '90s. He saw that the it was going to be tossed in the garbage, and asked if he could keep it. Earlier this year, Arnold was a guest on Sole Collector's Full Size Run to discuss the full story behind this shoe.
This one-of-a-kind size 13.5 Air Jordan 1 "Black Toe" sample will be up for auction on Ebay for the next nine days with a starting bid of $50,000. This listing is being done through Auction Cause with 10% of the final value going to Best Buddies International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
