A RARE pair of Nike's 'Moon Shoe' trainers has sold for a record-breaking £345,000 - becoming the priciest pair to sell at auction.
The unique waffle-soled running shoes, designed by Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman for runners in the 1972 Olympic Trials, are one of only 12 pairs ever made.
Collector Miles Nadal purchased the pair on Tuesday for $437,500, New York auction house Sotheby's said.
The shoes are described as "one of the most significant artefacts in Nike's long history", with a unique waffle sole traction pattern inspired by Bowerman's wife's waffle iron.
The Nike co-founder and Track Coach was said to have designed the shoe by pouring rubber into the mold to create the first prototype of the sole.
The waffle traction pattern sole "created better grip and cushion than most running shoes of the time, and was Nike’s first major innovation as a brand" the auction description reads.
The 'Moon Shoe' got its name from the resemblance between the impression that the waffle pattern left in dirt and the tracks left on the moon by astronauts in 1969.
[The Moon Shoe] is one of the most significant artifacts in Nike's long history
Sothebys Auction HouseNadal plans to display his latest purchase at his private museum, the Dare to Dream Automobile Museum in Toronto.
The shoes are currently the only known pair to exist in unworn condition.
Speaking to Sotheby's he said: “I am thrilled to acquire the iconic Nike ‘Moon Shoes,’ one of the rarest pairs of sneakers ever produced, and a true historical artifact in sports history and pop culture.
"When I initially acquired the 99 other pairs in this auction last week, I just knew the Nikes had to remain part of this remarkable collection, and I couldn’t be happier with the result.
"I think sneaker culture and collecting is on the verge of a breakout moment."
The previous world auction record for a pair of trainers was set in 2017 at $190,373, for a pair of signed Converse that Michael Jordan wore in the 1984 Olympic basketball final.
The original starting price for the Moon Shoe was $80,000, with a pre-sale estimate of $160,000.
The shoes were part of Sotheby's Stadium Goods: the Ultimate Sneaker Collection online auction.
Nadal purchased an additional 99 other pairs of rare sneakers from Sotheby's in a private sale for $850,000 last week.
Earlier this year, the ten most valuable and rarest trainers in the world were revealed.
The Nike Air Mag Back To The Future, which were used in the movie with the same name, retailed for £19,715.
The Air Jordan Kobe PE Retro Pack Retro Eight was selling at the time for £10,330, worn by American basketball player Kobe Bryant during the 2002-2003 season.
And in an unconventional move for the sportswear brand, Nike launched the Air Max trainers made of fake grass at the start of the year.
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