A single glittery sock once worn by the late pop icon Michael Jackson during a 1997 concert in France has fetched over US$8,000 at auction, according to a French auctioneer. The sock, discovered near Jackson’s dressing room by a technician after his performance in Nîmes, was part of his signature stage outfit during the “HIStory World Tour.”
The white athletic sock, studded with rhinestones, was famously worn by Jackson during his performance of “Billie Jean” — a moment well-documented in video clips from the tour. Now decades old, the sock shows visible signs of age, including stains and yellowed rhinestones, as seen in photos released by the auction house.
Despite its condition, auctioneer Aurore Illy called the item “exceptional” and “cult” for devoted fans of the King of Pop. Originally valued between €3,000 and €4,000, the sock sold for €7,688 (roughly US$8,300) in Nîmes.
This isn’t the first time Michael Jackson memorabilia has drawn big bids. In 2009, a Macau casino resort paid US$350,000 for the glittery glove Jackson wore during his first televised moonwalk in 1983. A fedora he wore just before that iconic performance sold in Paris last year for more than US$80,000.
Michael Jackson passed away in 2009 at the age of 50 from a fatal overdose, but his legacy and global fan base remain strong, even amid longstanding controversies and allegations, which he and his estate have always denied.
