We begin our in-detail look at each of the amazingly rare Air Jordans up for bid in the "ORIGINAL AIR: Michael Jordan Game-Worn and Player Exclusive Sneaker Rarities" auction with one of the most historic pairs in the entire 11-lot collection: Michael Jordan's Air Jordan 7 "Olympic" worn in the gold medal game of the 1992 Summer Olympics.
Worn by Jordan as a member of the legendary Dream Team, this absolute dream of a piece of memorabilia for any Air Jordan collector or sports historian is certainly one of the auction's top highlights. This pair has been photo-matched to the final game of the '92 Olympics on August 8, when Team USA defeated Croatia (117-85) to win the gold medal. They are thought to have been worn for other games of the tournament, as well. They feature an orthopaedic adjustment to the insole to provide Michael Jordan with additional support and comfort for the last few games of the competition. This orthopaedic insert has not previously been seen in a Jordan 7 PE from Barcelona to go to market. Michael Jordan PEs with orthopaedic adjustments are extremely rare.
The tongue code (920112-FTPS, typed format) is sewn on the inside of each shoe. The typed version of the code indicates that these were an early sample batch made specifically for Jordan and is consistent with the pairs that were actually in Barcelona, where these were sourced. FTPS stands for Feng Tay Player Sample.
The lot for this incredible pair also includes an original Dream Team T-shirt by Magic Johnson T's. Jordan and other members of Team USA wore this shirt design around Barcelona during their stay. Both the shoes and tee were sourced from a receptionist of the Ambassador Hotel in Barcelona where the Dream Team exclusively stayed. The receptionist was given the items as a show of gratitude for running errands for the Dream Team throughout their stay in Barcelona.
The ORIGINAL AIR: Michael Jordan Game-Worn and Player Exclusive Sneaker Rarities auction is live July 30-August 13, 2020.
