Michael Jordan is and has been a lot of things to the western society (eastern’s too), but could the latest version of his Air Jordan shoes single-handedly save the US economy? Probably not, but if every shoe generated this kind of response, some financial bailouts might be avoided — at least for companies like eBay and Foot Locker.

Some details on why the shoe is so expensively popular:

Only 23 pairs released in each of 23 stores (529 total) in 23 stores around the country.

That alone is enough to make Air Jordan collectors and buyers go crazy trying to find these shoes, turning to places like eBay in order to spend ridiculous amounts of money to own one set of the 529 released to the public. However, sellers may not be getting as much as they initially anticipated:

The guy who was selling No. 113 of 529 listed it at $3,500. The link was taken down minutes ago, which means he presumably sold them, though we’re not sure at what price.

Another guy, who has No. 15/529 lists his shoes at $2,750, but says he’ll consider offers above $1,200. The eBay listing shows he’s already declined two offers, meaning he’s likely gotten lower bids.

There are still some active auctions going on if you haven’t found that one Christmas gift you’ve been looking for. And remember, if people can spend upwards of a thousand dollars on a Tickle Me Elmo plush toy, going all out for a limited edition pair of Air Jordans is an even better way to invest those hard-earned dollars, especially considering the economic climate we are currently living in.

Tags: Air Jordan, Expensive Gestures, Michael Jordan, Nike, Shoes

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