A nearly unique pair of Apple sneakers was sold at auction this week. And this bit of company memorabilia from the 1990s pulled in close to $10,000.
On March 2, Heritage Auctions put “Apple Computer Sneakers, late 20th century” up for bids. When the auction closed on Tuesday, the winning bid was for $9,687.50.
Apple sneakers are a real thing
Heritage Auctions says about this item that “These sneakers were produced by Apple exclusively for their employees in the early 1990s.”
The full story is more complex. Back in the 1990s, Apple was struggling. Co-founder Steve Jobs had been forced out and PCs dominated the computer market. So the company went looking for other options than Macs, and tried video game consoles and restaurants.
Apple even teamed up with Adidas to produce tennis shoes. These are white, with the classic rainbow company logo on the side and tongue. “Apple” is also printed on the side in the font used in the company’s early days.
But the plan was obviously scrapped because no Apple sneakers ever went on sale. Some prototypes were given to Apple employees, but it’s not known how many pairs ever existed in total, much less how many are around now.
That rarity is why the pair that sold this week commanded such a relatively high price.
