Last week on BBC’s Antique Roadshow, one guest turned some heads. It was an episode like any other, taking place in London’s picturesque Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery, with guests bringing items including an 18th-century children’s book and a helmet from the Battle of Britain. But someone stood out with something a little different… Air Max 1s.
This sparked some debate, mainly surrounding whether or not you could consider a bunch of sneakers from the early 2000s “antiques”. So far, even the staff at KLEKT haven’t come to an agreement on that. Either way, the collection in question was valued somewhere around £12,000 – £18,000, and it’s not hard to see why.
At a glance, you’ll immediately notice some standouts in this collection. The pairs that got the most attention were the two atmos Air Max 1s, the Safari and Animal Pack. The collection also included CLOT’s 2006 ‘Kiss of Death’ collab, and Patta’s 5th Anniversary Purple Denim pair (currently going for over £1100 on KLEKT).
But it’s not just about the sneakers themselves, the collector also nabbed some extra points for their deadstock condition, with only one pair in the collection being worn just once. He had also gone to some extremes, including asking a friend in New York to stand in line for 8 hours for the Kid Robot Air Max 1s.
You might be wondering why we’re talking about this. After all, the fact that deadstock sneakers sell for thousands is nothing new. Aside from the novelty of seeing a relatably obsessive collection on such a mainstream show, it also serves as a reminder to always consider how much your sneakers are worth.
