Century-old Levi’s jeans sold for nearly $100,000 at auction

A pair of Levi’s jeans from 1893 has been sold for nearly $100,000 at an auction.

The blue pair of jeans was manufactured by Levi Strauss & Co and was sold by an auction house in Maine, US, on May 15.

After failing to sell at an auction in 2016, the 125-year-old Levi’s now has a new owner somewhere in Southeast Asia.

“It’s somebody who loves old Levi’s,” said Daniel Buck Soules from Daniel Buck Auctions.

The pair of jeans was first purchased 125 years ago by Solomon Warner, a storekeeper in the Arizona Territory. It remained in good condition as Warner had barely worn them before his death.

After his death, the pair of jeans was passed down in the family throughout the years, helping preserve its value.

Levi’s had reportedly offered to buy back the pants for $50,000. Vintage denim is a sought-after item among many collectors.

According to Soules, a pair of 501 jeans manufactured in the 1880s sold for US$60,000 to a Japanese collector, and another pair, from 1888, sold for six figures.

Unlike modern Levi’s, the old jeans had only a single back pocket. There were no belt loops because men used suspenders back then.