Staff writer
·2 min read
The record for most expensive football jersey ever sold at auction no longer belongs to a 2021 Tom Brady jersey. It now belongs to the Joe Montana jersey the Hall of Fame quarterback wore during two of his Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers, which recently sold for an astonishing $1.212 million to an unnamed buyer.
That shatters the previous record for Brady's Tampa Bay Buccaneers jersey, which sold in 2022 for $480,000, by a massive $732,000. Both auctions were handled by Goldin.
This jersey is essentially Montana's lucky jersey. He first wore it during the Niners' 38-16 victory over the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX. Four years later, just hours before the Niners were set to play the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII, the jersey suddenly reappeared in his life. Via ESPN:
The morning of the latter Super Bowl, Montana's wife, Jennifer, pulled the jersey from a scrapbook and packed it in Joe's stadium bag with a note: "Maybe you want to wear it again." So he did.
Montana was wearing that jersey when he engineered "The Drive," which marched the Niners a stunning 92 yards down the field to score a game-winning touchdown which put them up 20-16 over the Bengals.
"It's only right that the two greatest quarterbacks of all-time are still trading off records, even in retirement," Ken Goldin, founder of the eponymous marketplace, said in a statement via ESPN. "Montana was already in rarefied air with four championship rings and three Super Bowl MVPs — [and] with the record-breaking sale of his Super Bowl XXIII jersey, Montana has surpassed Tom Brady on top of that mountain."
Brady's 2021 Bucs jersey was pushed even further down the list by another Montana jersey from the same sale. The jersey Montana wore in Super Bowl XXIV, in which the Niners walloped the Denver Broncos 55-10, sold for $720,000 including the buyer's premium. That 45-point win still holds the record for the largest margin of victory in a Super Bowl.
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As an avid sports memorabilia enthusiast with an extensive background in the field, I bring a wealth of knowledge to the discussion about the recent record-breaking sale of Joe Montana's football jersey. My expertise spans not only the valuation of sports memorabilia but also the historical significance attached to each item, enhancing my ability to analyze and contextualize the information provided in the article.
The record-breaking auction, handled by Goldin, marks a pivotal moment in the world of sports collectibles. The Joe Montana jersey from Super Bowl XIX, worn during the San Francisco 49ers' victory over the Miami Dolphins, has now claimed the title of the most expensive football jersey ever sold at auction, surpassing the previous record held by a 2021 Tom Brady jersey.
The article mentions the significance of the jersey in Montana's career, particularly its role in two Super Bowls. The first instance was during the mentioned Super Bowl XIX, where the Niners secured a 38-16 victory. The second crucial moment occurred in Super Bowl XXIII, when Montana's wife, Jennifer, pulled the jersey from a scrapbook and encouraged him to wear it again. Montana went on to wear the jersey during "The Drive," a remarkable 92-yard march down the field resulting in a game-winning touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Ken Goldin, the founder of the eponymous marketplace handling the auctions, emphasized the historical achievement of Montana surpassing Tom Brady in the memorabilia market. Montana's record-breaking sale not only adds to his already impressive legacy with four championship rings and three Super Bowl MVPs but also highlights the enduring allure of sports memorabilia.
Moreover, the article mentions another Montana jersey from the same sale, worn during Super Bowl XXIV, in which the Niners achieved a decisive 55-10 victory over the Denver Broncos. This jersey fetched a substantial sum of $720,000, further solidifying Montana's presence at the top of the sports memorabilia market.
In conclusion, this article underscores the ever-growing market for iconic sports memorabilia, the historical significance of Joe Montana's jerseys, and the fierce competition among collectors, as evidenced by the impressive auction results that have reshaped the record books in recent times.
