A single, rhinestone-covered sock once worn by Michael Jackson has sold for €7,688 (approximately US $8,822) at a Nîmes, France auction on July 30, 2025. The sock, part of Jackson’s glittery stagewear during his 1997 HIStory World Tour, had originally been valued at €3,000–4,000 ($3,400–4,500) but soared well past estimates after a flurry of competitive bidding.
The sock carries a unique backstory. According to auctioneer Aurore Illy, it was discovered backstage in July 1997 by a technician following Jackson’s sold-out performance in Nîmes.
“It was lying near his dressing room, clearly worn, yet iconic,”
Illy explained, calling it
“an exceptional object even a cult one for Michael Jackson fans.”
The piece shows its age. Off-white fabric has noticeable discolorations, and the rhinestones have yellowed from near-three decades in storage. But the imperfections only help to authenticate the fabric to the eyes of the collectors. The sock was also kept in a display frame alongside a backstage pass that was used to authenticate its origin before the sale.
It was sold discreetly by French auction house Interencheres. Bidders from all parts of Europe and the United States bid over the phone and Internet and pushed the eventual hammer price far above the estimate. Illy said that Jackson memorabilia consistently attracts intense interest.
“There is a dedicated market for items linked to his stage presence,”
she noted.
The sale adds to a long list of record-breaking Jackson memorabilia auctions. In 2009, a Macau resort purchased the singer’s glittering moonwalk glove for $350,000, while a fedora worn by Jackson fetched over $80,000 at a Paris auction in 2023.
Michael Jackson memorabilia has become a lucrative niche in the broader celebrity collectibles industry, which has grown into a multi-million-dollar business since the 1980s. According to RR Auction data, items tied to Jackson have brought in more than $2 million since his death in 2009.
Industry analysts say the combination of nostalgia, rarity, and Jackson’s unparalleled cultural impact fuels demand. His history World Tour, grossing over $165 million in 82 performances, remains one of the most iconic pop music tours ever.
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More than 15 years deceased, Michael Jackson remains perhaps the most influential and divisive aspect of pop culture. Even though his life and career were marred with scandal, his work still delights generations. Purchasers consistently compartmentalize the entertainer’s personal issues from his artistic achievements, something that has only boosted the market in Jackson’s items.
As auctioneer Illy explained,
“To many fans, works like this sock aren’t clothing they’re tangible connections to an artist who impacted their lives.”
Even the rhinestone-studded sock once soiled and stained is today coveted highly by an anonymous bidder and proof of the global popularity of the late Michael Jackson and the ongoing fascination with pop culture memorabilia.
