Legendary Dirty Feet Shirt Michael Jackson Becomes A Fuss, Sells IDR 145 Million
The pair of dirty white socks Michael Jackson has worn has again stolen public attention. This unique crystal-filled accessory was sold in an auction in southern France for $8,911 or IDR 146 million on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.
The socks were worn by King of Pop while performing at a concert in the city of Nchermes in 1997, as part of the HIStory world tour. According to the local auction house, the white socks now look dull and full of stains, but are still decorated with sparkling rhinestone stones.
The socks were found by a technician backstage after the concert, then preserved within the frame for nearly 28 years.
"This object is truly extraordinary, it can even be considered a valuable object for Michael Jackson's fans," Aurore Illy's auctioneer told the AFP news agency, quoted from the New York Post page.
The HIStory World Tour tour itself reaches 35 countries and features 82 shows, including the iconic appearance of 'Billie Jean', where Jackson appears in the shiny socks.
The auction house initially estimated the price of these socks to only ranged from 3,000 euros to 4,000 euros (Rp56 million to Rp75 million). Until finally the winner of the auction bought it at a price of double the estimate.
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Although Michael Jackson's legacy is still overshadowed by controversy over allegations of longstanding child sexual abuse, it has been denied by people close to Jackson during his lifetime. In addition, the legend's legacy continues to grow.
In 2009, a casino in Macau bought the sparkling gloves Jackson wore on his first moonwalk on television in 1983, at a fantastic price of 350 thousand US dollars or Rp5.7 billion. Meanwhile, in 2023, a collector in Paris bought the fedora hat Jackson wore before a stage performance for more than 80 thousand US dollars or Rp1.3 billion.
A few months later, the black-and-white jacket Jackson wore in the 1984 Pepsi commercial sold for 306,000 US dollars or IDR 5 billion. Michael Jackson died in 2009 at the age of 50 from a drug overdose.