1970s Nike ‘Moon Shoe’ | Single-Piece Outsole & Nike Branding

Offered in this lot is an extremely rare example of one of Nike’s most iconic sneakers, the Nike Moon Shoe.

The pair is accompanied by a letter of provenance from Tom Utterback, a former Garden Grove High School runner, who purchased the shoes in the 1970s. In his letter, Tom recalls buying the pair directly from Mark Covert at one of Nike’s first retail outlets, The Athletic Department, in Garden Grove, California. Covert, an elite runner and early Nike ambassador, was the first person to cross a finish line wearing Nike Moon Shoes.

While all Moon Shoes are unique, this pair exhibits notable variations that illustrate the evolution of production in one of Nike’s earliest and most historic models. Constructed with a single-piece rubber outsole, aggressive lugs, and no midsole, the pair reflects a minimalist design that has helped preserve its condition over time. The uppers feature black leather Swooshes stitched with black thread, foam-padded tongues, and suede paneling on the lateral sides and heel counters. On other known examples, the outsoles were made in two pieces, and the uppers were often constructed from perforated nylon, details absent here that further distinguish this example.

The tongues display Nike’s original lowercase cursive logo, without the registered trademark symbol, indicating that the shoes predate Nike’s trademark registration. On the reverse side of the tag, it reads: NIKE SPORT SHOES ARE MANUFACTURED TO THE EXACT SPECIFICATIONS OF CHAMPION ATHLETES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD,” along with a MADE IN JAPAN designation.

The shoes are entirely original, including their blue Spenco sockliners and flat white laces, which still retain their original aglets. 

A similar style of Moon Shoe attributed to Mark Covert, which also featured single-piece outsoles, suede paneling, and foam tongues, was referred to by collectors as the “Most Progressive Nike Moon Shoe.”

Though there is no visible size marking, the shoes measure approximately 11½ inches from heel to toe, and Mr. Utterback recalls them fitting as a size 10.

Sotheby’s received the following letter of provenance from Tom Utterback, the original owner of these Moon Shoes:

I went to Garden Grove High School, Class of ’76, and ran Cross Country and distance for four years. In 1972, we were introduced to Mark Covert, and we all thought he was a madman for running every day for the past five years. He trained with us a few times and was a great inspiration.

In the past month, I’ve learned more about his relationship with Nike and that he used Moon Shoes in the 1972 Olympic Trials. Mark was managing a Nike Athletic Department store in Garden Grove, and we all bought shoes from him. At some point, one of my teammates heard there was a pair of custom-made Nike shoes available at the store. I heard the shoes were new and unusual. I went to check them out, and even though they weren’t my size, I had to have them. I think that was in 1973.

I used my Moon Shoes as a secret weapon and only wore them for races. After high school, I put them in a loose plastic Ziploc bag, and my mom found a Nike shoe box in her closet. I put the Moon Shoes in the box, and they’ve been on a shelf for almost 50 years.

I’ve always known where they were, and after seeing a recent game show where two guests were sneaker collectors, I went to get them and open the box. They’re still in good condition.

I’m really happy to bring these shoes out of the closet and let the world know there’s one more pair of Moon Shoes known to exist.

The Nike Moon Shoe 

Debuted at the 1972 U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, the Nike Moon Shoe was the first marathon shoe made by Nike and the first to feature the revolutionary Waffle Sole, an innovation by Nike co-founder and legendary University of Oregon track coach Bill Bowerman. As the story goes, Bowerman created the original prototype by pouring rubber into his wife’s waffle iron. The resulting traction pattern delivered superior grip and cushioning compared to other running shoes of the time and led to U.S. Patent No. 3793750 and Bowerman’s induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. 

The Moon Shoe’s nickname arose from the resemblance between the waffle sole’s footprint and the lunar impressions left by astronauts in 1969. The shoe’s official name was the Nike Waffle Racing Flat, but the “Moon Shoe” moniker has endured as the most iconic in sneaker history.

Today, Nike Moon Shoes are among the rarest and most revered sneakers ever produced. Each known pair varies in construction details, and only a handful are known to survive. One single Moon Shoe is currently on display at Steve Prefontaine Hall at Nike World Headquarters. The model is also featured prominently on page one of Irreverence Justified, a book widely considered the definitive history of Nike. In 2019, Sotheby’s sold a deadstock pair of Moon Shoes for $437,500; at the time, it was the highest price ever achieved at auction for a pair of sneakers. Today, it still stands as the most expensive unworn shoe ever sold at auction.