Jordan 5: By The Numbers

Although Michael Jordan’s greatness dates back to the 1980s, the 1990s is when he truly established himself as myth and legend. Thanks to a massive tech boom, the 90s were a forward-looking time, obsessed with technology and progress; history was in the past, and everyone was racing towards the horizon of a new millennium. The Air Jordan 5, which debuted in the early months of this brand new decade, was the first great shoe of the 90s and represented a radical break from the past.

The design of the Air Jordan 5 came from the future – literally. After designing Marty McFly’s shoes in Back To The Future II, Jordan designer Tinker Hatfield had the idea to add clear molding to the sole of a Jordan. This molding would eventually become the blue-tinted translucent sole, also known to Jordan fans as the “icy sole” – a design element that is now prominent across the Jordan line. Other revolutionary additions like the 3M tongue and molded foam upper helped the Jordan 5 become more than just a basketball shoe. It was a fashion statement. 

Will Smith wearing the Jordan 5 Grape. (NBCU / Getty)

With limitless street appeal, the Jordan 5 quickly transitioned from a performance shoe into a style icon. Now, 30 years later, it is one of the most buzzing Jordan silhouettes on the planet. From OG Retros to Off-White collaborations, the 5 has been on a spectacular run in 2020 and we wanted to show why.

We analyzed our Jordan 5 resale data to uncover why the silhouette is seeing such a resurgence and what this might mean for the upcoming Jordan holiday season.

The Jordan 5 Is On The Rise

The Jordan category has seen a major push this year with the help of ESPN’s The Last Dance. After The Last Dance, older Jordans saw a 20% appreciation in resale value, while overall Jordan sales increased by over 40%. The Jordan 5 stands out as one of the silhouettes that has appreciated the most in 2020, but despite a push from TLD, its trend of growth goes back as far as two years ago.

The chart above shows how the average price premium of Jordan 5s has risen over the years. In 2018, price premiums hit a StockX historic low at just 18%. Not many Jordan 5s released during that year and those that did only traded slightly above retail value. The following year, resale values bounced back and premiums more than doubled. The release of the Jordan 5 Trophy Room, a shoe that now resells for over $1,200, elevated Jordan 5 demand to new heights. Across all models and colorways, the average AJ5 resold for a 47% premium in 2019. 

In 2020, Jordan 5s are more valuable than ever before. The average AJ5 sells at a 54% premium and there are still plenty of hyped releases in store for the holidays that could potentially move the needle even further. There is a possibility that average premiums increase a few more points before 2021, which could result in a whopping 20% growth in average premium since last year. With Jordan 5s consistently climbing in value, there is a new demand, unlike anything we have ever seen.

Jordan 5 Demand

The Jordan 5 Fire Red Silver Tongue is already one of the top ten best selling Jordans on StockX in the past year and it has even inspired some incredible custom collaborations. It’s an OG colorway and one of the earliest Jordan silhouettes that MJ wore during his career with the Bulls, so it is no surprise that colorway has hit monster sales numbers. 

Although historic sales are a good measure of demand over time, we wanted to see which Jordans in 2020 received the largest immediate demand following their release. To do this, we analyzed sales numbers for all Jordan releases starting on their drop date and ending one week after the drop. With the Fire Red in mind as one of the most demanded Jordan 5s, the results were shocking.

The graphic above displays the top five Jordans with the most Week 1 sales in 2020. The Jordan 13 Flint was a standout frontrunner, trailed by Jordan 12 University Gold and Royal Toe 1. Two Jordan 5 releases filled out the #4 and #5 slots, and surprisingly, the Jordan 5 Fire Red did not make the cut. Instead, the Jordan 5 Alternate Grape and Jordan 5 Alternate Bel-Air took StockX by storm and charted some of the best Week 1 sales performances of the year. The Jordan 5 was the only silhouette to have multiple releases rank in the top five, which is mindblowing considering a lot of well-received Jordan 1 colorways have released this year. The influx in Jordan 5 sales volume could equally be attributed to a spike in production quantities, but still, demand has to exist in order for a shoe to sell. The numbers make it clear that Jordan 5s are becoming one of the most beloved silhouettes in the Jordan Brand line. Fortunately, Jumpman isn’t letting Jordan 5 fans head into the New Year without a few more colorways.

Holiday Releases

Image by Sneaker News

Jordan Brand recently unveiled a holiday release line-up that is jam-packed with heat. Among the top releases, an Air Jordan 5 featuring the renowned “What The” theme stands out as a must-have. In traditional “What The” fashion, the Jordan 5 What The references a number of the highlights from Jordan’s long history of AJ5s, including the fan-favorite Tokyo and Raging Bull colorways.

Image by Virgil Abloh

There are also rumors that another Off-White Jordan 5 colorway could officially release next month. Leaked images of the Off-White Sail 5 have circulated for months and if the rumors are confirmed, there is payday in the near future for resellers across the globe. The first Off-White Jordan 5 has averaged a resale price of $800 in over 13,000 sales on StockX. If the Off-White Sail 5 performs anywhere close to its predecessor, sellers could strike resale gold.

Whether the Off-White Sail 5 releases or not, the Jordan 5 is recognized as one of the fastest appreciating silhouettes in 2020. Record premiums matched with rising demand are launching this design into new territory and we are excited to see what the future holds.