Michael Jordan’s ‘Last Dance’ Mercedes is the Latest High-Priced Piece of Auctioned Memorabilia
Life is good when you have so many cars that you lose track of them. Such is the case for Michael Jordan. The Chicago Bulls legend and NBA all-time great claims fleet of automobiles that range from three Corvettes, a 512 Ferrari Testarossa, an Aston Martin DB7 Volante, and a Toyota Landcruiser, just for fun. These days, however, the car once owned by Jordan making the headlines is a 1996 Mercedes-Benz featured in the 2020 ESPN documentary series, The Last Dance. The car, a metallic navy blue S6000 Lorinser, is up for auction on eBay.
According to the title, the car was purchased in 1996 and registered to Jordan’s ex-wife Juanita and the former Bulls superstar. Jordan sold the car years ago, but it was recently purchased by the Beverly Hills Car Club, which put it up for sale on eBay.
The value of all things Michael Jordan
The opening bid on eBay was $23—an homage to Jordan’s original number on the Bulls. The car has 157,000 miles on it, and while it lacks many of the bells and whistles of current Mercedes Benz automobiles, it does have power windows and an ignition screen that says “Power On” with the word “Jordan” below it.
“Mr. Jordan was a magically gifted basketball player who, when you watched him, took your breath away,” says Alex Manos, owner of the Beverly Hills Car Club. “Michael Jordan’s S600 Lorinser is such an elegant vehicle that driving it will get you in touch with your inner Michael Jordan, stepping into his world and feeling his energy and power. I am flattered to have acquired such a historically relevant car with ultimate celebrity provenance. Michael Jordan’s Mercedes is an incredibly exciting vehicle to be connected with. Some people have signed basketballs or sneakers or photographs of the basketball giant. But how many people do you know who own Michael Jordan’s car? This is the Holy Grail of Michael Jordan memorabilia.”
Before the bidding ended on August 23, the price was expected to exceed $200,000. The expectations were right — the winning bid for Jordan’s Mercedes came in at $202,200.
Get your Jordan stuff while it’s hot
Since the airing of The Last Dance, prices for anything related to Michael Jordan have skyrocketed.
A pair of game-worn Nike sneakers worn by Jordan went for $615,000 at a recent Christie’s auction. Those kicks became the most expensive pair of basketball shoes ever sold. Those Air Jordan 1 High red sneakers were worn once in a 1985 exhibition game played in Italy. What makes this piece of Jordan memorabilia extra valuable is the sole of one of the sneakers contains a shard of glass from the backboard His Airness smashed during the game.
Sports auctioneer Mike Heffner reported that after the ESPN docu-series aired, a 1986 Michael Jordan rookie card that once sold for $40,000 now goes for $100,000.
“It seems like anything related to MJ has doubled or tripled in value, and cards have shot up the most,” Heffner said, according to Page Six. “More and more people are seeking to cash in on this market because there is just so much money to be made,” he said.
Jordan’s car is a bargain when it comes to celebrity cars
While the price for a car once driven by one of the sport’s most famous athletes seems outrageous, it pales in comparison to other autos owned by celebrities sold at auction.
John Lennon’s 1965 Rolls Royce Phantom V limo sold at auction for $2.3 million in 1985. It was the car the Beatles took to the world premiere of their movie, Help.
Fans of James Bond, 007, would be proud to know the Aston Martin 1964 DB5 from the film Goldfinger, sold for $4.6 million in 2010.
And if you have $74,995 laying around, you can purchase the 1986 Ferrari 328 GTS once owned by Barry Williams, the actor who played Greg Brady on The Brady Bunch. With only 29,000 original miles, it’s a real bargain.
