You may not be able to tear up the half pipe like Tony Hawk, but you can at least look the part.
The legendary skateboarder has teamed up with Julien’s Auctions to auction off some of his most iconic gear. Taking place online and live in L.A. on September 23, Tony Hawk: The 900 Collection will feature nearly 100 prized artifacts from skateboarding history.
The star lot is Hawk’s famous “900" skateboard. The original Birdhouse “Falcon 2" was ridden by Hawk when he landed the first 900 at the 1999 X Games in San Francisco. The skateboarder recently told Stephen Colbert he spent nearly 12 years and fell 10,000 times trying to perfect the notoriously difficult trick, which involves no less than two and a half mid-air revolutions. The board that helped him execute that historic sporting feat is expected to fetch between $500,000 and $700,000 at the upcoming auction. It is equipped with Fury brand trucks and unmarked wheels.
The exact knee pads and helmet Hawk wore while nailing the aerial trick are also up for grabs. Both pieces are signed by the skater, too. The Boneless brand pads are expected to hammer down for between $4,000 and $6,000, while the black Mosa Sports helmet is expected to fetch between $5,000 and $7,000. You can even buy the sneakers he wore during the groundbreaking 900. The pair of size 13 Adio kicks is estimated to realize between $3,000 and $5,000.
“Landing a ‘900’ at the 1999 X Games was a huge moment in my career—the result of years of persistence and getting back up after every fall," Hawk said in a statement. “I never imagined that my board, pads, or helmet from that day would be of any interest to collectors."
The best part is that the auction will give back to the skateboarding community. “A portion of the proceeds from the sale will benefit The Skatepark Project, the foundation I started to help communities build safe and inclusive skateparks in underserved areas, where young people can experience the same freedom and confidence that skateboarding offered me," added Hawk.
Highlights from the auction were on show at this year’s X Games in Salt Lake City over the weekend. The entire collection will land on the Julien’s Auctions site in August.
From the article by Rachel Cormack
