It could be an obscure, fashion-forward SAT question: Manolo Blahnik shoes are to women, as “fill-in-the-blank” is to men. If you somehow managed to come up with Nike Air Yeezy II sneakers as the answer, you’d be right – at least for the purposes of this eBay story. Take a look at today’s remarkable item, these Nike Air Yeezy II Sneakers Signed by Kanye West:
The current high bid, after 179 bids, is a whopping $98,600 (and counting!). In the past we’ve seen items that feature a celebrity signature to be valued more than those without, but this price — for a single pair or sneakers, remember — seemed excessive even to us. And we are used to seeing sneakers fetch high prices. Back in 2011, we wrote a story about the limited edition Back to the Future Nike Mags, available only on eBay. The high price for a pair of these, sold at a charity auction in L.A. was “only” $37,500. Early in 2012, we told you about the much coveted Air Jordan 11 Retro “Concord” shoes found on eBay. The limited number sold at retail locations actually sparked mini-riots! It all seemed like the height of madness, until today.
A quick search revealed various news articles talking about the Nike Air Yeezy II sneakers already, even those without Kanye’s signature. According to TMZ.com, a pair recently sold on eBay for over $89,000. And our own quick search for Nike Air Yeezy IIs found several selling for thousands.
So, what makes these kicks so special to self-styled sneakerheads? Rarity is the main factor. As any student in a high school econ class knows, a limited supply increases demand, and the prices go up to what the market will bear. According to the NikeInc.com site, the Nike Air Yeezy II will release at select global retailers “in limited numbers.” Of course, it also says these were to be released last June, so you’ll have to take all information with a grain of salt. But rumors have gotten folks to start lining up and camping out in front of retail stores. Let’s hope this time everyone stays calm.
Getting back to the original remarkable listing, those Air Yeezy IIs mentioned above. These are a size 10.5, described as Black/Black Solar Red pair, and are definitely one of a kind. Here is the description:
“A pair of One-of-a-kind Nike Air Yeezy II Sneakers designed, worn, and signed by Kanye West.
The limited edition Yeezy II is the second shoe in the iconic Kanye West’s signature line from Nike.”
The cool thing about this particular pair of sneakers is that 100 percent of the proceeds of the sale will go to charity, specifically to New York Cares. New York Cares meets pressing community needs by mobilizing caring New Yorkers in volunteer service, and has been especially helpful during the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. If you are interested in seeing a full list of auctions benefiting New York Cares, take a look at the Re/Create New York eBay store here.
With this type of money being spent on sneakers, you would think someone would open a shoe museum, and maybe call it a “Shoezeum” or something? Well, if you thought that, you’d be right. The Shoezeum and all its contents were recently up for sale on eBay!
Yes, if it is on your mind, it is certainly on eBay.
Are you serious? These shoes came out last summer. Take that with a grain of salt. FOH.
I need to find some shoes like those and sell them on eBay! I need some of that KA CHING!!!!
YEAH BUDDY! Gobble, gobble! @Kanye West. #GetMoney2013