"Footprints Intact" Steve Jobs' Birkenstock Sold for 300 Million Won

Jobs' Favorite Brown Birkenstock Sandals from the 1970s-1980s
Winning Bidder Also Receives NFT Featuring 360-Degree Images of the Sandals

Steve Jobs' sandals sold for about 300 million KRW at Julien's Auction. Photo by AP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Culture Young Intern Reporter] A pair of Birkenstock sandals worn by the late Steve Jobs, co-founder and former CEO of Apple, sold at auction for $218,750 (about 290 million KRW).

According to CNN on the 15th (local time), Jobs' worn brown Birkenstock sandals set the highest sales record in the sandal category at the Julien's Auction held in New York, USA, on the 13th. The sandals were reportedly worn by Jobs during the 1970s and 1980s when he lived in California and were discovered by Jobs' housekeeper while cleaning the house.

The auction organizers had estimated the winning bid to be around $60,000 (about 80 million KRW), but the final price far exceeded expectations. The identity of the buyer of Jobs' sandals has not been disclosed, and it is reported that they also received a non-fungible token (NFT) containing 360-degree images of the sandals.

Before the auction, Julien's Auction explained, "Although the sandals are not in good condition due to heavy wear such as severe abrasion of the rubber soles from frequent use by Jobs, they are still intact." They added, "Steve Jobs' footprints are clearly engraved on the cork and jute soles of the sandals."

Darren Julien, CEO of Julien's Auction, stated, "Steve Jobs changed the world not only with innovative inventions but also with his corporate management style and fashion." He added, "These sandals were frequently worn by him during the creation of Apple's iconic products and important moments in Apple's history."

Jobs founded Apple in 1976 with his friend Steve Wozniak in the garage of his parents' house in California. Apple later developed innovative products such as the iPhone smartphone and the iPod MP3 player. Jobs passed away in 2011 due to complications from pancreatic cancer.

Previously, in October last year, basketball legend Michael Jordan's 'Nike Air Ship' basketball shoes worn during his rookie season were sold for $1.47 million (about 1.9 billion KRW).

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