Few descriptors are too superlative for the Air Jordan 1. It's an iconic sneaker that changed the footwear and sports industries, then transcended its roots to become beloved in hip-hop, skateboarding, and fashion.
Lofted to legendary status by its famous “banned” legacy, the “One That Started It All” has been released in almost countless OG and non-OG colorways, and as part of many collaborations alongside skateboarder Lance Mountain, designer Virgil Abloh, and football club Paris Saint-Germain, among others.
Emphasizing just how influential and popular the silhouette has become since its initial release in 1985, 2018 saw no less than 60 Nike Air Jordan 1 releases, many of which were highly coveted and sold out upon release. It’s no secret that certain AJ1s can demand a hefty price on the resell market. Recent colorways such as Virgil Abloh’s “Chicago” Off-WHite™ x Nike Air Jordan 1, both Art Basel iterations from 2018, or the Union Los Angeles collaboration immediately come to mind when discussing the most valuable Air Jordan 1s.
Considering the Air Jordan 1 has over 30 years of history, we tapped StockX to find out which colorways really are the most valuable on the secondary market. Scroll through our ranking of the 20 most valuable Nike Air Jordan 1s to find out for yourself.
23. Off-White™ Nike Air Jordan 1 “UNC”
Release Date: June 23, 2018 Average Resell Price: $872 Editor’s Notes: The third Off-White™ x Nike Air Jordan 1 to be released, this colorway took inspiration from Michael Jordan’s alma mater, the University of Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Carolina blue and white getup was complemented by Virgil Abloh’s signature deconstructed style and Off-White™ branding.
22. Travis Scott x Nike Air Jordan 1 “Reverse Swoosh”
Release Date: May 11, 2019 Average Resell Price: $973 Editor’s Notes: This reverse-Swoosh Nike Air Jordan 1 was Travis Scott’s second Air Jordan collaboration and, until now, his most popular. After it was teased and rumored for almost a year, the collab surprise-dropped on Nike SNKRS during Scott’s Grammy performance in February. The sneaker features a hidden stash pocket in the ankle collar and Cactus Jack detailing embossed on the heel and medial sides.
21. Nike Air Jordan 1 “Igloo”
Release Date: July 12, 2017 Average Resell Price: $1,269 Editor’s Notes: This “Igloo” Nike Air Jordan 1 was part of a pack of two AJ1s that dropped exclusively at Art Basel in Miami in 2017. Inspired by the city’s Art Deco heritage, the Air Jordan 1’s “Black Toe” aesthetic was essentially reworked in South Beach-friendly tones. Both pairs were extremely limited, hence the high resale price.
20. Nike Air Jordan 1 “Banned” 2011
Release Date: June 2, 2011 Average Resell Price: $1,363 Editor’s Notes: While the black and red (Bred) colorway wasn’t anything new in 2011 when the “Banned” Nike Air Jordan 1 dropped, the red “X” and the original “Nike Air” label on the tongue were, which is why this specific iteration is worth so much more than 2009’s “Bred” Air Jordan 1. The colorway, of course, was originally released in 1985 and gained legendary status due to Michael Jordan’s sneakers being “banned” by the NBA for not adhering to the strict dress code back then.
19. Nike Air Jordan 1 “Quai54 F&F”
Release Date: N/A Average Resell Price: $1,394 Editor’s Notes: This Air Jordan 1 was given out to friends and family of Jordan Brand as part of the 2011 Quai 54 street ball tournament in Paris, France. It differed from the regular version, which saw a general release, in that its blue, red, and black color scheme was split down the middle on each side. It also features Quai54 branding on the tongue and insoles.
18. Solefly x Nike Air Jordan 1 “Art Basel”
Release Date: December 8, 2018 Average Resell Price: $1,403 Editor’s Notes: The second Art Basel Miami-exclusive Air Jordan 1 on this list, this particular colorway was a collaboration with Miami-based retailer Solefly and dropped in December 2018. A “Sail” base gave way to University of Miami-inspired blue and green leather overlays, as well as a debossed Solefly logo on the heel. Retail was only $160 but, because they were strictly limited, resell is almost ten times that.
17. Nike Air Jordan 1 “Rust Pink”
Release Date: July 12, 2017 Average Resell Price: $1,528 Editor’s Notes: The “Rust Pink” Nike Air Jordan 1 makes up the the second half of 2017’s Art Basel Jordan Brand drop, the other sneaker being the aforementioned “Igloo” colorway. Much like the pair above, the “Black Toe” AJ1 color blocking is reworked, with rust pink finding its way onto the ankle collar, tongue tag, and outsole.
16. Nike Air Jordan 1 “Brooklyn Nets City Edition”
Release Date: N/A Average Resell Price: $1,536 Editor’s Notes: Produced by DeJesus Custom Footwear as an homage to Brooklyn, the “City Edition” Air Jordan 1 featured COOGI-inspired “Brooklyn camo” that nods to a similar pattern used on the Brooklyn Nets jersey from late 2018. The Air Jordan 1 customs also references Notorious B.I.G. (a notoriously big fan of COOGI sweaters) and his birth year, with “BIG” and “1972” on the heels in white.
15. Nike Air Jordan 1 “Satin”
Release Date: October 18, 2016 Average Resell Price: $1,686 Editor’s Notes: In 2016, around the time when Jordan Brand had begun its “Remastered” series of retro Air Jordans, Nike dropped a highly-limited version of the original “Bred” Nike Air Jordan 1, except featuring a satin upper. Due to its luxurious upper construction and the low levels of stock, it has become one of the most expensive Air Jordan 1s of all time.
14. fragment x Nike Air Jordan 1
Release Date: December 27, 2014 Average Resell Price: $1,817 Editor’s Notes: fragment’s Hiroshi Fukiwara and Nike have a longstanding partnership that includes the HTM releases overseen by Fujiwara, Mark Parker, and Tinker Hatfield as well a range of collaborations with the designer’s fragment label. Following the Sock Dart and Roshe LD-1000 SP, Fujiwara and Nike combined on this ultra-limited Air Jordan 1. The only addition to the classic colorway is the fragment design bolt logo embossed on the heel.
13. Off-White™ x Nike Air Jordan 1 “Chicago”
Release Date: September 9, 2017 Average Resell Price: $1,945 Editor’s Notes: Virgil Abloh’s first collection with Nike, dubbed “The Ten,” was revolutionary in many ways. The crown jewel of that collection was the “Chicago” Air Jordan 1, which Abloh had deconstructed in his signature style. It immediately became the must-have sneaker of 2017.
12. Off-White™ x Nike Air Jordan 1 “White”
Release Date: March 3, 2018 Average Resell Price: $1,956 Editor’s Notes: This particular Abloh-designed Air Jordan 1 doesn’t pay homage to an OG colorway, opting instead for a totally white look, save for orange and blue detailing on the lateral Swoosh. While not an OG colorway, the fact that it was a European-exclusive means it became the most valuable of the three Off-White™ x Nike Air Jordan 1s.
11. Nike Air Jordan 1 OG 1985
Release Date: 1985 Average Resell Price: $2,512 Editor’s Notes: The original Nike Air Jordan 1 from 1985 narrowly misses out on the top ten, having to settle for 11th place. The reason this particular pair of Air Jordans is so valuable should be obvious due to its age, status as the OG, and the unparalleled heritage it spawned nearly 30 years ago.
10. Dave White x Nike Air Jordan 1 “Wings for the Future Gold”
Release Date: February 17, 2011 Average Resell Price: $2,725 Editor’s Notes: Back in 2011, Jordan Brand tapped UK artist Dave White to create 23 pairs of Nike Air Jordan 1s that were to be auctioned off for charity. White chose to go with a stars and stripes theme, covering the toe box in gold, with blue, white and red detailing featuring on the rest of the shoe.
9. Spike Lee x Nike Air Jordan 1 “Fort Greene”
Release Date: June 16, 2017 Average Resell Price: $2,727 Editor’s Notes: Spike Lee, like many collaborators on this list, has a longstanding relationship with Jordan Brand, even featuring in early advertisements alongside Michael Jordan. In 2017, the director got to design and release his own pair, which featured a navy and black colorway with Spike’s “Mars Blackmon” on the heel. They were exclusively available at 40 Acres - 75 South Elliott Place in Fort Greene, Brooklyn for $300.
8. Just Don x Nike Air Jordan 1 “BHM”
Release Date: February 21, 2015 Average Resell Price: $3,050 Editor’s Notes: Fresh off of his Air Jordan 2 collaboration, Don C of Just Don got back to work with Nike on a Black History Month-themed Nike Air Jordan 1. It featured an entirely white upper with all-over pattern, black leather collar and tongue lining, gold aglets and shoe lace tips, as well as a removable ankle strap. Only 39 pairs were produced and auctioned off on eBay, making this a very rare find indeed.
7. Solefly x Nike Air Jordan 1 “Art Basel Black”
Release Date: December 8, 2018 Average Resell Price: $3,619 Editor’s Notes: This Art Basel Air Jordan 1 arrived as the second colorway alongside the “Sail” University of Miami effort. It featured a black patent leather upper with dark green overlays. A green Swoosh was present on the lateral side, while the medial Swoosh was bright orange, giving the already-eye-catching sneaker yet another reason to break necks. Again, these very highly limited and only available in Miami during Art Basel.
6. Fragment x Nike Air Jordan 1 F&F
Release Date: N/A Average Resell Price: $4,668 Editor’s Notes: The friends & family version of Hiroshi Fujiwara’s fragment x Nike Air Jordan 1 features a very, very subtle difference to those that made it onto retail shelves worldwide. Instead of a blue embossed fragment logo on the heel, these promotional pairs featured a black logo.
5. Shinedown x Nike Air Jordan 1 PE “Attention Attention”
Release Date: N/A Average Resell Price: $4,825 Editor’s Notes: This special release was given to friends and family of Jacksonville-based rock band Shinedown in 2018. The lead guitarist, Zach Myers, is a noted retro Jordan collector, which is perhaps why this partnership came to fruition. The F&F sneaker features the same color blocking as the “Bred Toe,” swapping out the red in favor of yellow. The band’s Attention Attention album cover artwork is embossed on the lateral heel.
4. colette x Nike Air Jordan 1 F&F
Release Date: N/A Average Resell Price: $4,854 Editor’s Notes: When colette closed its doors after 20 years of business in late 2017, Jordan Brand created a friends & family Air Jordan 1 specially for the retailer. The limited edition pair features colette’s signature white and blue scheme, complete with its double dot logo and the years 1997 and 2017 to commemorate the opening and closing year of the store.
3. Nike Air Jordan 1 “Legends of Summer Red”
Release Date: N/A Average Resell Price: $6,100 Editor’s Notes: When JAY-Z and Justin Timberlake toured together in 2013 on their “Legends of Summer” tour, the duo wore a number of exclusive Air Jordan 1s, which became known as the “Legends of Summer” Nike Air Jordan 1s. Three colorways existed, this all-red pair being one of them. They were only given to friends and family of the musicians, making them extremely rare.
2. Nike Air Jordan 1 “Legends of Summer Red Glitter”
Release Date: N/A Average Resell Price: $6,339 Editor’s Notes: Part of the same “Legends of Summer” tour exclusive Air Jordan 1s created specially for Justin Timberlake and JAY-Z. This pair is also all red, as is the pair above, except it features an all-over glitter effect, making it that much more eye-catching.
1. Nike Air Jordan 1 “Legends of Summer Black”
Release Date: N/A Average Resell Price: $6,400 Editor’s Notes: The third and final “Legends of Summer” Nike Air Jordan 1, this pair features that classic black/red color blocking that drive Jordan fans nuts and adds reflective silver detailing on the Swoosh and toe box for a very special, truly one of a kind look. Needless to say, this pair, like the other two colorways before it, is extremely limited.
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