Hunt Auctions, based in Pennsylvania, announced Monday that Miami real‑estate investor Ron Firman purchased Michael Jordan’s red Chicago Bulls jersey from Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals for $14 million in a private sale. The jersey, signed by Jordan, was worn on June 5, 1998, when the Bulls tied the series against the Utah Jazz before ultimately winning their sixth championship.
Record‑breaking price
The $14 million price tag makes the jersey the most expensive basketball memorabilia item ever sold. It is also the second‑highest price ever paid for a game‑worn jersey across all sports, behind only Babe Ruth’s 1932 World Series “called‑shot” jersey, which fetched $24.12 million in 2024.
Jordan’s 1998 Finals jerseys continue to command premium values
This sale is the third Jordan jersey from the 1998 Finals to exceed $10 million. The Game 1 jersey sold for about $10.1 million in 2022, and the Game 3 jersey fetched roughly $12.3 million last month, bringing total spending on the three jerseys to more than $36 million.
Collector’s perspective
Firman, who described Jordan as “an incredibly talented player who is admired around the world,” said he is excited about the purchase. The jersey’s provenance includes an original purchase from the Bulls by a private collector in 2003 and only one subsequent change of hands before this latest transaction.
Broader memorabilia market
The sale underscores the growing status of high‑profile sports artifacts as elite assets, a trend noted by Hunt Auctions president David Hunt, who compared the market to that for iconic works of art. In 2023, a pair of Air Jordans worn by Jordan during the same Game 2 sold for $2.2 million at Sotheby’s, setting a record for the most expensive sneakers at that time.
Legacy of the 1998 championship
Nearly three decades after the Bulls secured their final championship, collectors continue to invest heavily in items tied to Jordan’s historic run. The sustained demand reflects both the enduring popularity of the “Last Dance” era and the cultural impact of Jordan’s career on basketball and popular culture.
While the transaction was private, the public announcement highlights the continued appetite for premier sports memorabilia and the willingness of affluent buyers to allocate eight‑figure sums for pieces of athletic history.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
