Nike Tees and Sneakers
The Most Expensive Vintage Nike T-Shirts from the 1970s and 80s
This is a gallery of the rarest and most expensive t-shirt relics from the company formerly known as Blue Ribbon Sports. It all began in 1972 when Nike made t-shirts for the Olympic trials – and the company’s founders were hot-pressing runner’s names on the rear of the tee.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Nike started as footwear company, tees weren’t initially on their radar, so keep in mind many of their t-shirt designs from the 1970s had yet to feature Nike tags, which became a staple in the 1980s.
Some values are based on sales, others are approximate due to scarcity and a lack of sales in a modern market.
We’ve also flagged a few of these t-shirts as [FAKE] after getting reports by the community they were printed in the 2000s on vintage blanks.
1970s
Vintage 1972 Nike Olympic Trials T-Shirt
$10,000
Tag: Champion Blue Bar
Fact: This tee is considered the first Nike t-shirt, and the first piece of Nike apparel.
Vintage 1972 Nike USA Munich Trials Eugene Oregon T-Shirt
$3000
Tag: Champion Blue Bar
Fact: A pair of handmade Nike track shoes from the 1972 Olympic trials recently sold for $50,000.
Vintage Nike The Sport Shoe of Champions Jersey
$2500
Tag: Champion Blue Bar
Fact: “The Sport Shoe of Champions” doesn’t appear to have ever been one of Nike’s taglines. Google it!
Vintage Nikeman Superman Ringer T-Shirt
$2500
Tag: Unknown
Fact: Prior to becoming Nike on May 30, 1978, the company was founded as Blue Ribbon Sports in the mid-1960s.
Vintage Rough Cut Pinwheel Block Letter Button-Down Shirt
$2000
Tag: Pinwheel
Fact: The Nike Rough Cut logo is also commonly described as block letters.
Vintage Nike Pinwheel Ringer T-Shirt
$900
Tag: Orange Swoosh
Fact: There’s also a brown-based version of this t-shirt with yellow ringers.
Vintage Nike Turtle Wearing Nikes Champion T-Shirt
$900
Tag: Champion blue bar
Fact: Slow and steady wins the race.
Vintage Steve Prefontaine T-Shirt
$700
Tag: Generic
Fact: Steve Prefontaine was coached by Bill Bowerman. Pre’s demand for better equipment inspired Bowerman and co-founder Phil Knight to create Nike.
Vintage 1977 Nike-OTC Marathon Ringer T-Shirt
$500
Tag: Unknown
Fact: The first OTC Marathon was held in 1973.
Vintage Nike There Is No Finish Line T-Shirt
$500
Tag: Orange Swoosh
Fact: Nike’s first products were track and running shoes.
Image Courtesy of pdx-new-and-used
Vintage Nike Possum Trot Chattahoochee Nature T-Shirt
$400
Tag: Unknown
Fact: The first Possum Trot was held in 1978.
Vintage 1976 Nike Pinwheel Boy Scout Fundraiser T-Shirt [FAKE]
$400
Tag: Sneakers
Fact: Another obscure run sponsored by Nike – no information about Boy Scout Bashes exists. [FAKE] And the reason it doesn’t exist, is because the event didn’t actually exist, apparently this was dreamt up by counterfeiters.
1980s
Vintage Nike Beatles T-Shirt
$2000
Tag: Blue
Fact: In 1987 Nike came up with a tagline for promoting a new group of Nike Air shoes — “Revolution in Motion.” Nike and its ad agency wanted to use the Beatles’ classic 60s song, “Revolution” during the commercials, so they paid $500k for rights. But not to the Beatles though – to Michael Jackson who had purchased the Beatles music catalog in 1985.
Image Courtesy of superhothits
Vintage Hike Nike T-Shirt
$1500
Tag: Unknown
Fact: Nike Hiking was launched in 1981, a precursor to ACG.
Vintage 1980 Nike Pinwheel Ringer T-Shirt [FAKE]
$1000
Tag: Screen Stars
Fact: This Screen Stars tag was only made in 1980. [FAKE] which would help explain this t-shirt, which one might assume is 70s, as being fake. Apparently this too is another design that was created up by counterfeiters. Sadly, it’s actually pretty cool.
Vintage 1987 Nike Beer Relays Employee T-Shirt
$1000
Tag: Blue
Fact: This T-shirt was given to Nike Employees in 1987 at the company beer relay, a summer event, and was never sold to the public.
Vintage Nike Cascade Run-Off Geisha T-Shirt
$900
Tag: Hanes 50/50
Fact: This T-shirt was given to Nike Employees in 1987 at the company beer relay, a summer event, and was never sold to the public.
Vintage 1984 Nike USA Olympic Torch T-Shirt
$750
Tag: Blue
Fact: Nike’s sales jumped 30 percent in Southern California following the Games – and they didn’t even sponsor the event. Converse did.
Vintage Jordan Sneakers Over the Shoulder T-Shirt
$500
Tag: Blue
Fact: When Jordan saw the prototype for his shoe he protested, “I’m not wearing that shoe, I’ll look like a clown.”
Image Courtesy of supervideo
Vintage 1985 Air Jordan T-Shirt
$350
Tag: Blue
Fact: Because of their vibrant color the NBA banned the Air Jordan I from being worn during play. #23 still wore his pair and was fined $5k per game.
Image Courtesy of Stormcrow-Vintage
Vintage St. George Marathon Finisher T-Shirt
$300
Shirt #14:
Fact: The St. George Marathon has been “running” since 1977.
Vintage Sumo Wrestlers T-Shirt
$300
Tag: Grey
Fact: Nike shoes. Sumo wrestlers. Both are big in Japan.
Vintage Hike Nike Approach T-Shirt
$250
Fact: The Nike Air Approach was introduced as a hiking shoe in the early 1980s. The company has recently repro’d them, taking pre-orders in September of 2012.
Vintage Nike Gasparilla Distance Classic T-Shirt
$200
Tag: Blank
Fact: Tampa Bay’s Gasparilla Distance Classic began in 1978 and is still “running” to this day.
Image courtesy of tshirttimemachine
Vintage Nike Flight T-Shirt
$100
Tag: Grey/Red
Fact: The scripted “flight” logo was introduced in 1989 on Jordan IVs.
Image Courtesy of vanticky
Vintage Nike Rat Ball T-Shirt
$100
Tag: Grey
Fact: We have no idea what the inspiration behind this design is.
Vintage Neon Swoosh T-Shirt
$100
Tag: Blue
Fact: Nike co-founder Phil Knight’s initial comment about the swoosh design was, “I don’t love it, but I think it will grow on me.” And grow it did.
Image Courtesy of 4all2envy
To be continued…
Jimmy founded Defunkd in 2004 when he started selling vintage t-shirts online. 20 years of experience later and he hasn't looked back since. Actually, he looks back all the time given he's a sucker for nostalgia. For more, check the history of Defunkd and Jimmy's Expertise.
