When a “hyped” sneaker is released, it is usually also very limited, which means they can be re-sold for more money after they sell out. Some people buy these shoes for the sole purpose of reselling them for a profit, so they add a premium on top of the retail price.
Age, condition, and demand have a huge influence on how much you can add to a price. Here’s a collection of sneakers that have a crazy price premium on top of them!
Nike SB Dunk Low Reese Forbes Denim
This shoe released on the 1st of December 2002 – making it almost as old as me – and is currently selling on StockX with a high of £3344; despite the retail price being around £50. This is an astonishing 6513.8% over retail.
These shoes really top off an outfit, and look great with a pair of black jeans. Keeping these in an unused condition for over 15 years will have been hard and many people that owned these will be kicking themselves that they trashed them, but the people that did are definitely laughing to the bank!
Nike Dunk SB Low Staple “NYC Pigeon”
These retailed at $200 back on the 1st of March 2005, and are now selling for £8,000+, a whopping 5650.0% over retail!
In the list of craziest sneaker releases the Jeff Staple designed Nike SB Dunk Low NYC Pigeon is near the top. When the Pigeon Dunks released back in 2005, word spread and lines formed outside of Jeff Staple’s Lower East Side shop, Reed Space. By the time release day rolled around the crowd had grown to a size that New York City police had to be called to keep things in order and make sure those who purchased could get home safely. All the attention landed the Pigeon Dunk release on the cover of the New York Daily News paper the next day. With only 150 pairs produced, the Pigeon SB Dunk is one of the most popular Nike SB releases of all time and even without the exclusivity, the colourway is one of the best. Jeff Staple opted to use the most commonly found bird in the city of NYC for inspiration, the Dunk Low is officially coloured as Medium Grey/White-Dark Grey, but it’s the combination of grey on the upper, with white Swoosh, orange foot-like outsole and the stitched in pigeon on the heel that make this colourway one that every sneaker enthusiast would like to get their hands on. Not only did the Nike SB Dunk Low NYC Pigeon help bring energy to Nike Skateboarding back in 2005, it started along line of successful pigeon inspired sneakers from NYC’s Jeff Staple.
Jordan 5 Retro Tokyo T23
On the 29th of April 2011, the Jordan 5 Retro Tokyo T23 was released as a japan exclusive; retailing at (roughlt) $206. Since then, prices have sky rocketed to a high of £8,558 since December 2017, 4026.2% over the retail price.
A Japan exclusive, This special collaboration consists of a suede yellow upper, the Jordan 5’s signature 3M metallic tongue and clear accents such as the sole and netting, and Jordan Brand’s signature cement print in black and yellow. The sidewall of the Air Jordan 5 Tokyo 23 has a unique “23” symbol – a highlight of the Shibuya Ward of Japan. Released in very limited numbers in Japan, it’s even more rare to find a pair in the UK or USA.
