Steve Jobs’ battered Birkenstocks set new world record

Accompanied with an NFT of the sandals, the lot set a new world record for highest-selling price for a pair of sandals sold at auction

(AP)

A well-worn pair of Apple icon Steve Jobs’ sandals have sold for a staggering £183,636 ($218,750).

The tech legend’s personally owned and worn brown suede leather Birkenstock Arizonas fetched seven times their original estimate of £50,368 ($60,000).

Accompanied with an NFT of the sandals, the lot set a new world record for highest-selling price for a pair of sandals sold at auction.

Those Birkenstocks were previously owned by Mark Sheff, the house manager to Steve Jobs.

The American entrepreneur and pioneer reportedly wore them during pivotal moments in Apple’s history.

According to Julien’s Auctions, Jobs hatched the beginnings of the Apple computer in 1976 in a Los Altos garage with Apple’s co-founder Steve Wozniak while occasionally wearing these sandals.

In an interview with Vogue titled “Apple Meets Birkenstock”, Jobs ex-partner Chrisann Brennan said: “The sandals were part of his simple side. They were his uniform.

“The great thing about a uniform is that you don’t have to worry about what to wear in the morning.”

The lot was sold at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City and online with thousands of bidders, fans and collectors from around the world participating.