Decades later, the sock is no longer white, and the rhinestones adorning it have yellowed with age.
“It really is an exceptional object – even a cult one for Michael Jackson fans,” Illy said.
Jackson’s clothing, especially from iconic performances, continues to sell for large sums. Photo / Getty Images
The sock, expected to fetch £2500-£3500, sold for £6640 at the Nimes auction house.
Jackson’s clothing, particularly items worn during iconic performances and in music videos, has sold for vast sums following the singer’s death in 2009.
The star, who during his lifetime faced allegations of child molestation – died of an overdose aged 50 as he prepared for a series of comeback concerts in London.
A Chinese gaming resort paid £260,000 in 2009 for a glittery glove he wore when he performed his first “moonwalk” dance in 1983.
A hat he wore just before that performance sold for more than £60,000 in Paris in 2023.
The same year, a black and white leather jacket he wore in a 1980s Pepsi advert sold for £250,000.
In 2011, the contents of the house he lived in with his three children before his death sold for around £750,000 at auction. The sale included items such as the rug beneath his deathbed.
Jackson still maintains a huge fan base, despite a 2019 documentary exposing further child sexual abuse allegations that sparked a new debate over the legacy of one of the world’s most celebrated musicians.
