A pair of Levi’s jeans from the 19th century was sold at an auction in a small town in New Mexico, USA, for over $87,000.
The jeans were purchased for over $87,000. (Photo: Denimdoctors/CNN).
The jeans were discovered by a “denim archaeologist” in an abandoned mine. The pair was acquired at the auction by Kyle Hautner (23) and Zip Stevenson, an expert in the vintage denim market, CNN reported.
In an interview with CNN, Mr. Stevenson stated: “We had no plans to buy the jeans together until the auction started. It’s crazy to think back on it.”
The jeans sold for $87,400, which includes a 15% buyer’s premium—one of the highest prices ever paid for a denim garment. Hautner covered 90% of the cost, while Stevenson contributed the remaining 10%.
The label inside the jeans reads ‘The only type made by white laborers.’ (Photo: Denimdoctors/CNN).
The label inside the jeans states: ‘The only type made by white laborers.’ This indicates that the jeans date back to the late 1800s, related to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.
This act prohibited Chinese workers from entering the United States. According to the Wall Street Journal, the slogan was removed in the 1890s.
Mr. Stevenson has operated a denim repair shop in Los Angeles for nearly three decades. However, he mentioned that he has never seen a pair of jeans like this before.
“Jeans like these are incredibly rare—especially in such great condition and size,” he remarked.
Only a few similar pairs exist, but they are preserved in museums and cannot be worn due to their fragility.
However, Mr. Stevenson noted that this pair of jeans “has remarkable durability, so it can definitely be worn.” “There are a few spots on the jeans that are soft and may need some stitching. But other than that, this is still an incredibly durable pair of jeans,” he added.
Currently, the jeans are kept in a safe near Stevenson’s Denim Doctors shop in Los Angeles, and people can view them by appointment, according to Euro Weekly News.
