An auction for a worn and signed leather jacket from Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang was auctioned off, and the final price will surprise many fans and investors.
Jensen Huang Jacket Auction
Huang has become synonymous with the Tom Ford leather jacket these days, often wearing it at events and conferences.
Sotheby’s auctioned off the "Jensen Jacket,’ a jacket he wore in Taiwan that includes an autograph.
Bids were submitted from July 7 through July 17, with a final price of $960,000. The auction house listed a resale estimate of $40,000 to $60,000, meaning the final price paid was 16x to 24x the estimates.
"Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s leather jacket just sold for $960,000," Rally co-founder and collectibles expert Rob Petrozzo tweeted. "This is where we are in the cycle rn. New highs for everything on the way."
Proceeds from the auction went to charity.
“This jacket represents both a tangible artifact from a transformative era in technology and an investment in the next generation of innovators,” the auction listing says.
The “Jensen Jacket” has been photomatched by PSA to the CEO and comes from the Hon Hai Tech Day in Taipei, Taiwan on Oct. 18, 2023. James Spence Authentication has authenticated the autograph.
Memorabilia from CEOs of top companies have become collectibles for many people. Rare items from the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs are among the top collectibles for investors and Apple fans, something that Huang’s jacket might come close to rivaling.
An iconic 1983 leather jacket worn by Jobs that was featured in a photo where he gave the middle finger to IBM is owned by investors on the fractional investing site Rally. The jacket is currently worth $42,500.
The History of Huang’s Jacket
According to a report from Tom’s Hardware, Huang’s leather jacket at the GTC 2024 is a lizard-embossed jacket that retails for $8,990. The news site said it was a jacket from the Tom Ford Spring/Summer 2023 menswear collection. The jacket features embossed calf leather and not actual lizard skin.
Huang has been seen wearing leather jackets dating back to at least 2013, according to the report.
While it is one of his signature pieces of clothing and something he is now known for, Huang gave credit for wearing a leather jacket to his wife and daughter.
In an interview with HP, Huang was asked about his signature look.
"I’m happy that my wife and my daughter dress me," Huang said.
Huang also recalled meeting his future wife, Lori Huang, when he was 16 years old in an engineering class.
"I had a great pickup. I asked her if she wanted to see my homework."
Huang also seems to know he’s become known for his leather jacket. During a 2016 “Ask Me Anything” on Reddit, he introduced himself as the CEO of Nvidia and said, "You may know me better as ‘the guy in the leather jacket.’"
Image via Shutterstock
Login to comment