Tony Hawk skateboarding. 200900 Photo: Tony Donaldson / PHOTOSPORT
Tony Hawk's skateboard from his landmark 1999 '900' trick sold for around US$2 million (NZ$3.4m), Julien's Auctions said on Wednesday, setting a record for a piece of skateboarding memorabilia and more than doubling its pre-sale estimate.
Julien's said the auction, held on Tuesday at the Loews Hollywood Hotel and online, set multiple benchmarks for items tied to the 57-year-old American who became the first skater to land the two-and-a-half-revolution aerial during the 1999 X Games in San Francisco.
Tony Hawk in action in a half-pipe. 200900 Photo: Tony Donaldson / PHOTOSPORT
Hawk said proceeds from the sale will support The Skatepark Project (TSP), his nonprofit organisation that helps build public skate parks in under-served areas. Hawk himself was on hand to bring the hammer down on the sale on Tuesday.
Protective gear Hawk wore for the '900' also drew strong bidding: a black-and-orange Adio sneaker pair fetched $110,000 (NZ$189,000), his helmet took $198,000 (NZ$340,000) and knee pads sold for $100,000 (NZ$172,000), all well above estimates, according to the auction house.
"This historic result is not just a landing for Julien's Auctions but for the culture of skateboarding and collecting," Martin Nolan, the company's co-founder and executive director, said in a statement.
"With the 900 Board shattering a world record, we're truly catching some air - propelled by the passion of bidders and the enduring legacy of this iconic moment in sports history."
Other highlights included a 1982 Powell-Peralta signature pro model skateboard, described as the first pro model Hawk rode, at $100,000 (NZ$172,000); a Simpsons-themed winter coat gifted after his 2003 cameo appearance on the show at $11,000 ($18,900); and Hawk's 1999 X Games Vert Finals bronze medal at $15,000 (NZ$28,500).
Julien's, known for pop-culture sales such as Princess Diana's 'Caring Dress' and Michael Jackson's white glove, billed the event as 'Tony Hawk: The 900 Collection'.
The auction house did not disclose buyers' identities.
- Reuters
