Someone Bought Steve Jobs' Gross Old Birkenstocks For $218,750
The least surprising thing I learned today was that Steve Jobs wore Birkenstocks.
What did surprise me is that someone was willing to fork over nearly a quarter of a million dollars for those Birkenstocks.
The very sandals Jobs was wearing in the 1970s and '80s hit the auction block and fetched a whopping $218, 750.
It's hard to imagine a more sought-after set of sandals than the ones Jobs was wearing when he told Steve Wozniak to invent the Apple I.
Maybe some sandals Alexander the Great wore would be worth more. However, until a pair of those turn-up, the Jobs sandals are at the top of the heap.
Jobs' Birkenstocks Have Seen A Rapid Increase In Value
The first time the Jobs sandals went up for sale was in 2016. Back then, they belonged to a natural foods chef who worked for Jobs. However, they only sold for $2,000.
Somehow, over the next six years, the value of those grimey kicks skyrocketed. Perhaps it was because when they were sold this time around they came with an NFT version of the, but probably not.
According to Jobs' former partner Chrisann Brennan the Birkenstocks represented Jobs' simple side.
"The sandals were part of his simple side,” she told Vogue in 2017. "He would never have done or bought anything just to stand out from others. He was simply convinced of the intelligence and practicality of the design and the comfort of wearing it. And in Birkenstocks he didn’t feel like a businessman, so he had the freedom to think creatively."
This is ironic because the reason you'd buy Steve Jobs' sandals is to stand out from others.
Steve Jobs shows off a picture of himself and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. It appears Wozniak may be looking down at Jobs Birkenstocks, which recently sold for more than $200,000. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
What Does One Do WIth Steve Jobs Birkenstocks?
Every time something like this sells, my mind goes to the same question: what the hell are you supposed to do with those?
You could break them out for special occasions like a housewarming party or a court appearance.
"You honor, I regret my actions but accept responsibility for them. I just thought you didn't have to pay taxes if you spent the money right away... speaking of which, these are Steve Jobs sandals I'm wearing..."
More than likely, those sandals would sit on a shelf in your house where you and unimpressed visitors can gaze at them for hours.
If you're a big Steve Jobs or Apple fan, those Birkenstocks are a perfect piece to sit in your Apple memorabilia collection.
Right next to your U2 iPod and your Newton.
Follow on Twitter: @Matt_Reigle