Tom Hanks’ Worn Nike Cortez Sneakers From ‘Forrest Gump’ Sold for $57,000 at Auction

Many refer to the Nike Cortez as the “Forrest Gump” sneaker, especially when its in the same white, red and blue color scheme worn by Tom Hanks as the film’s namesake character. Last week, though, a pair of the actual “Forrest Gump” shoes sold for $57,500 at auction.

A pair of Cortezes worn by Hanks in the film closed Saturday in a listing by Heritage Auctions. The shoes were (heavily) distressed for production of the film, as the plot involves Gump wearing them for his run across the country after being gifted them by his love interest Jenny Curran, played by Robin Wright.

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The sneakers up for auction were obtained from Paramount Pictures and came with a certificate of authenticity by Heritage.

Another pair of Cortezes from the film, which were photo-matched to the bus stop scene, sold in a 2019 auction along with the accompanying socks for nearly $30,000. A close glance at how the two pairs are distressed confirms they are indeed different pairs.

As one of Nike’s oldest models, predating even the company’s use of the name Nike, the Cortez has a long history in pop culture. The sneaker was featured on the feet of Farrah Fawcett in a 1977 episode of “Charlie’s Angels,” which led to the sneaker selling out in stores by noon the next day. It’s also been closely associated with hip-hop culture since the ’80s, with Eazy-E as one of the silhouette’s adherents.

Nike is set to reissue the Cortez in the same color scheme from “Forrest Gump” in May, which will be the first time the shoe has released since 2018.

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior Trending News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

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