Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana’s game-worn jersey, worn during the San Francisco 49ers’ Super Bowl XIX victory over the Miami Dolphins and then again four years later in Super Bowl XXIII, sold for a record-breaking $1.212 million on Wednesday.
The opening bid on Montana’s iconic jersey, brokered through Goldin, came in at $250,000, but 21 bids later, the final offer came in at $1.010 million – $1.212 million in total with the buyer’s premium.
Quarterback Joe Montana #16 of the San Francisco 49ers scrambles upfield against the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII at Joe Robbie Stadium on January 22, 1989 in Miami, Florida. The 49ers defeated the Bengals 20-16. (Rob Brown/Getty Images / Getty Images)
The purchase shattered the previous jersey sale record of $480,000 set in 2022 for a Tom Brady Tampa Bay Buccaneers jersey.
"Coming directly from his personal collection, the Hall of Fame quarterback not only wore this offered San Francisco 49ers jersey during Super Bowl XIX against the Miami Dolphins but also wore it again during his last-second touchdown drive that lifted the Niners to victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII," the description of the jersey read.
Montana first wore the jersey during the 1984 Super Bowl when the 49ers toppled Dan Marino and the Dolphins, 38-16. Four years later, thanks to the thoughtfulness of his wife, Montana would wear the same jersey in the Niners' 1988 comeback victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Quarterback Joe Montana #16 of the San Francisco 49ers looks on from the field during Super Bowl XIX against the Miami Dolphins at Stanford Stadium on January 20, 1985 in Stanford, California. The 49ers defeated the Dolphins 38-16. (George Gojkovich/Getty Images / Getty Images)
"The morning of Super Bowl XXIII, Montana's wife, Jennifer, took his game-used jersey from Super Bowl XIX out of a scrapbook, and put it in the bag he was bringing to the game, with a note that read ‘Maybe you want to wear it again,’" the description explained.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana and his wife Jennifer Montana and daughters Alexandra and Elizabeth ride in a cable car during the Super Bowl Parade on Market Street in San Francisco, California on January 23, 1989. The 49ers won Super Bo (David Madison/Getty Images / Getty Images)
Montana would wear the jersey and famously led a 92-yard drive to win it all, 20-16.
"It's only right that the two greatest quarterbacks of all-time are still trading off records, even in retirement," founder Ken Goldin told ESPN in a statement.
"Montana was already in rarefied air with four championship rings and three Super Bowl MVPs – [and] with the record-breaking sale of his Super Bowl XXIII jersey, Montana has surpassed Tom Brady on top of that mountain."