Bill Hartack’s Five Kentucky Derby Trophies Tops Winner’s Circle of Julien’s Auctions “Sports Legends” Event at $317,000
Michael Jordan’s Commemorative Signed North Carolina Training Jersey, Signed Limited Edition Converse Pro Leather Mid Ltd Shoes and Nike Air Jordan Carolina Blues Training Jersey and Deloris Jordan’s Longines Diamond and Stainless-Steel Wristwatch Score $273,000 at the Auction Podium to Benefit the James R. Jordan Foundation International.
Game Winning Jerseys, Boots, and Medals from Pelé, Diego Maradona, Jose Nasazzi, Ze Maria and More Exceed Original Estimates
Beverly Hills, California – (June 26th, 2023) Julien’s Auctions held on Friday, June 23rd through Sunday, June 25th their headline making auction event “SPORTS LEGENDS,” featuring nearly nine hundred game winning jerseys, medals, memorabilia, and collectibles from a championship lineup that included Michael Jordan, Pelé, Kobe Bryant, Diego Maradona, Babe Ruth, Rafael Nadal, Bill Hartack, and more, in front of a live audience at the auction house to the stars in Beverly Hills along with hundreds of sports fans and collectors from around the world participating online at Julien’s Live.
The top highlight of the three-day auction event was an incredible and rare group of five Lemon & Son brand sterling silver engraved Kentucky Derby trophies won from 1957 to 1969 by legendary horse jockey Bill Hartack, that crossed the finish line at $317,000. Hartack reached the peak of his horse racing career when he rode five horses to victory during multiple Kentucky Derbies at the Churchill Downs track in Louisville (Iron Liege: 1957, Venetian Way: 1960, Decidedly: 1962, Northern Dancer: 1964, Majestic Prince: 1969) tying with horse jockey Eddie Arcaro for the most Kentucky Derby wins of all-time in Racing history.
One-of-a-kind items offered from the personal collection of Michael Jordan, to benefit the James R. Jordan Foundation International, dazzled the auction block such as a 1982 commemorative signed North Carolina Tar Heels training jersey signed by Jordan that sold for an astounding $104,000, as well as a pair of limited-edition Converse brand Pro leather Mid Ltd shoes signed by Jordan commemorating the 30th anniversary of the basketball icon’s big shot to help North Carolina win the 1982 NCAA title, that brought $104,000; a Nike Air Jordan Carolina Blues training jersey owned and worn by Jordan in his personal training workouts that sold for $52,000; and a Longines diamond and stainless-steel automatic wristwatch, owned and worn by Deloris Jordan which sold for $13,000 and brought in a total of $273,000. All proceeds from this collection will help raise funds for the James R. Jordan Foundation International’s Kenya Women and Children’s Wellness Centre project.
Important and rare items from football greats such as Pelé, Diego Maradona, Ze Maria, Jose Nasazzi, Ferenc Puskas, and more, scored on the auction stage including (with winning bids): Pelé’s match-worn 1968 Paulista Tournament Santos jersey ($16,250) and his match-worn 1965-66 Brazil jersey ($16,250); Jose Nasazzi’s Uruguay team match-worn boots, worn during the 1924 Copa America Tournament, where Nasazzi helped lead Uruguay to their fifth Copa America title after defeating Argentina in penalty kicks at Parque Central, in Montevideo, Uruguay on November 2, 1924 (sold for $19,500, nearly ten times its original estimate of $2,000); two historic artifacts from Diego Maradona’s legendary career such as his 1985-86 Argentina jersey match-worn during an international match friendly between Argentina and Napoli ($16,250), and an Adidas brand 1990 World Cup Argentina jersey match-worn by Maradona in the Group B match between Argentina and the Soviet Union at Stadio San Paolo in Naples, Italy on June 13, 1990 ($19,500); and a 1970 FIFA World Cup Winner’s medal awarded to Jose “Ze Maria” Rodrigues Alves ($16,250).
About Julien’s Auctions
Julien’s Auctions is the world record-breaking auction house to the stars. Collaborating with the famous and the exclusive, Julien’s Auctions produces high profile auctions in the film, music, sports and art markets. Julien’s Auctions has received international recognition for its unique and innovative auction events, which attract thousands of collectors, investors, fans and enthusiasts from around the world. Julien’s Auctions specializes in sales of iconic artifacts and notable collections including Marilyn Monroe, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Lady Gaga, Banksy, Cher, Michael Jackson, U2, Barbra Streisand, Les Paul, Neil Young, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Jimi Hendrix, Hugh Hefner and many more.
In 2016, Julien’s realized $5 million in the historic auction of the Brazilian soccer icon, three-time World Cup Champion and FIFA Player of the Century, Pelé’s collection of memorabilia, personal property and awards, which featured the sale of Pelé’s three World Cup gold medals, sold for a combined total of US $970,992 (£674,300), including his 1970 World Cup winner’s medal that sold for $427,100 (£346,000) and set world records for the most expensive Pelé item and the most expensive soccer medal ever sold at auction. In 2020, Julien’s shattered multiple records for sports jerseys sold at auction in the sale of a trio of historic #23 basketball jerseys–Michael Jordan’s historic 1984 “Signing Day” Chicago Bulls #23 rookie jersey which sold for $320,000, a new world record sale for a jersey worn by the 14-time All-Star and five-time NBA MVP, Barack Obama’s 1979 #23 Punahou School jersey which sold for $192,000, a new world record selling price for a high school jersey, and Lebron James’ 2003-04 rookie year Cleveland Cavaliers jersey which sold for $128,000–which altogether totaled $640,000. In the same sale, Julien’s sold Colin Kaepernick’s San Francisco 49ers rookie jersey for $128,000, a new world record for most expensive NFL jersey sold at auction. Other notable sports memorabilia sold by Julien’s Auctions include Babe Ruth’s 1938 Brooklyn Dodgers coaching uniform which sold for $187,500, NASCAR legend Richard Petty’s 1974 Dodge Charger Daytona 500 race-winning car which sold for $500,000, LeBron James’ Sports Illustrated cover worn St. Vincent-St. Mary’s high school jersey which sold for $512,000, and Hank Aaron’s 1976 final season game worn Milwaukee Brewers uniform which sold for $224,000.
In 2016, Julien’s Auctions received its second placement in the Guinness Book of World Records for the sale of the world’s most expensive dress ever sold at auction, The Marilyn Monroe “Happy Birthday Mr. President” dress which sold for $4.8 million. Julien’s Auctions achieved placement in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2009 for the sale of Michael Jackson’s white glove, which sold for $480,000 making it the most expensive glove ever sold at auction and two years later, sold Michael Jackson’s jacket from “Thriller” for $1.8 million.
In 2020, Julien’s Auctions received its third Guinness Book of World Record placement for the sale of Kurt Cobain’s “MTV Unplugged” 1959 Martin D-18E acoustic-electric guitar, which sold for $6 million making it the world’s most expensive guitar ever sold at auction. In 2022, Julien’s Auctions sold the world’s second most expensive guitar ever sold at auction in the sale of Kurt Cobain’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” music video 1969 Fender Mustang electric guitar, which sold for $4.5 million.
Based in Los Angeles, Julien’s Auctions has a global presence bringing their auctions and exhibitions to targeted destinations worldwide including London, New York, Las Vegas, Japan and China. Live auctions are presented for bidders on-site and online via live streaming video and mobile technology. For more information on Julien’s Auctions, go to www.juliensauctions.com.
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